UNDER  FIRE 

Caplain  Charles  King* 


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TINDER    FIRE. 


BY 

CAPT.  CHARLES  KING,  U.  S.  A., 

AUTHOR  OF 
"THE  COLONEL'S  DAUGHTER,"   "MARION'S  FAITH,"   "CAPTAIN  BLAKE,"  ETC. 


WITH    ILLUSTRATIONS 
BY  C.  B.  COX. 


"A  bad  dhrill,  a  wake  voice,  an'  a  limp  leg— thim  three 
things  are  the  signs  av  a  bad  man."— PRIVATE  MULVANEY. 


PHILADELPHIA  I 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT   COMPANY. 

1895. 


COPYRIGHT,  1894, 

BY 
J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY. 


ELECTROTYPED  AND  PRINTED  BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY,  PHILADELPHIA,  U.  S. 


TO 

GENERAL  WESLEY   MERRITT, 

U.  S.  ARMY, 

OUR    HONORED    COLONEL    IN   THE    OLD    DAYS    AND    A    VALUED 
FRIEND     THROUGH     ALL     THESE     LATER 

YEARS,  THIS   STORY 
IS 


M18523 


PREFACE. 


IT  is  ten  years  since  "The  Colonel's  Daughter" 
ventured  before  the  public  and  found  so  many  friends 
that  "  Marion's  Faith"  and  later  "  Captain  Blake"  set 
forth  in  reinforcement,  and  even  then  there  came  the 
call  for  more.  Pelharn's  old  regiment  was  not  the 
only  one  to  contain  either  odd,  laughable,  or  lovable 
characters,  so  now  the  curtain  is  raised  on  the  Eleventh 
Horse, — a  command  as  apocryphal  as  the  — th,  yet 
equally  distinguished  in  the  eyes  of  those  who  trod 
the  war-path  twenty  years  ago. 

C.  K. 

October,  1894. 


UNDER  FIRE. 


CHAPTER   I. 

IT  was  the  last  day  of  Captain  Wilbur  Cranston's 
leave  of  absence.  For  three  blissful  months  lie  had 
been  visiting  his  old  home  in  a  bustling  Western  city, 
happy  in  the  happiness  of  his  charming  wife  in  this 
her  first  long  restoration  to  civilization  since  their  mar 
riage  ten  years  before ;  happy  in  the  pride  and  joy  of 
his  father  and  mother  in  having  once  more  under  their 
roof  the  soldier  son  who  had  won  an  honored  name  in 
his  profession,  and  in  their  delight  in  the  exuberant 
health  and  antics  of  two  sturdy,  plains-bred  little  Crans- 
tons.  The  visit  proved  one  continuous  round  of  home 
pleasures  and  social  gayeties,  for  Margaret  Cranston  had 
been  a  stanch  favorite  in  the  days  of  her  girl-  and 
bellehood,  and  all  her  old  friends,  married  and  single, 
rose  en  masse  to  welcome  her  return.  Parties,  dances, 
dinners,  concerts,  theatre  and  opera,  lectures,  pictures, 
parks,  drives  and  rides, — all  the  endless  resources  of  the 
metropolitan  world  had  been  laid  at  the  feet  of  the 
girl  who,  leaving  them  to  follow  her  soldier  lover  to 
his  exile  and  wanderings,  had  returned  in  the  fulness 
of  time,  in  the  flush  of  womanhood,  a  proud  wife  and 
proud  and  happy  mother.  People  could  not  under 
stand  her  choice  at  the  time  of  her  marriage :  "  Crans- 

l*  5 


6  UNDER  FIRE. 

ton's  all  right,  but  the  idea  of  going  to  live  in  a  tent 
or  dug-out,"  was  the  popular  way  of  putting  it,  and 
people  were  still  unable  to  understand  how  she  could 
have  ever  found  anything  to  enjoy  in  that  wild  life  or 
to  make  her  wish  to  see  it  again.  It  was,  therefore, 
incomprehensible  to  society  that  she  and  her  two 
tMUGCHig  boys  wore  utterly  overwhelmed  witli  distress 
at  having  to  remain  in  so  charming  a  circle,  so  happy 
a  home,  when  it  came  time  for  the  captain  to  return. 
Society  even  resented  it  a  little.  Juvenile  society — 
feminine — took  it  amiss  that  the  Cranston  boys  should 
so  scorn  the  arts  of  peace,  and  persist  furthermore  in 
saying  the  buffalo  and  bear  and  wolves  in  the  munici 
pal  "  Zoo"  were  frauds  as  compared  with  what  they  had 
seen  "  any  day"  all  around  them  out  on  the  plains. 
Tremendous  stories  did  these  little  Nimrods  tell  of  the 
big  game  on  which  they  had  tired  of  dining,  but  some 
of  their  tales  were  true,  and  that's  what  made  it  so 
hard  for  junior  society  masculine,  in  which  there  wasn't 
a  boy  who  did  not  honestly  and  justly  hate  these  young 
frontiersmen,  even  while  envying  with  all  his  civilized 
heart.  Loud  was  the  merriment  at  school  over  the 
Cranstons'  blunders  in  spelling  and  arithmetic,  but 
what — what  was  that  as  offset  to  their  prowess  on  pony- 
back,  their  skill  with  the  bow  and  sling-shot,  their 
store  of  Indian  trinkets,  trophies,  ay,  even  to  the  sur 
reptitiously  shown  Indian  scalp  ?  What  was  that  to 
the  tales  of  tremendous  adventure  in  the  land  of  the 
Sioux  and  Apache, — the  home  of  the  bear  and  the 
buffalo?  What  city-bred  boy  could  "  hold  a  caudle" 
to  the  glaring  halo  about  the  head  of  two  who  could 
claim  personal  acquaintance  with  the  great  war  chiefs 


UNDER  FIRE.  7 

Red  Cloud  and  Spotted  Tail  ? — who  had  actually  been 
to  ride  and  hunt  with  that  then  just  dawning  demigod 
of  American  boyhood, — Buffalo  Bill  ?  Sneer  and  scoff 
and  cavil  as  did  their  little  rivals  for  a  time,  calumny 
was  crushed  and  scoffers  blighted  that  wonderful  March 
morning  when,  before  the  whole  assembled  school, 
there  suddenly  appeared  that  paragon  of  plainsmen, 
that  idol  of  all  well-bred  young  Westerners,  he  whom 
only  on  flaring  posters  or  in  the  glare  of  the  foot 
lights  had  they  been  permitted  to  see,  and  smiling, 
superbly  handsome,  king  of  scouts  and  Indian-fighters, 
Buffalo  Bill  himself  stepped  into  their  midst  and 
clasped  the  little  Cranstons,  madly  rejoicing,  in  his 
arms,  while  their  father,  the  cavalry  captain,  and  even 
the  dreaded  teacher  looked  approvingly  on.  It  was 
after  that  episode  of  no  avail  for  even  the  sturdiest  of 
their  schoolmates  to  seek  to  belittle  the  Cranston  fame. 
Louis,  the  elder,  could  not  invent  a  whopper  so  big  as 
to  tax  the  credulity  of  the  school.  Buffalo  Bill  was 
"starring  it"  with  his  theatrical  company  through  the 
States  that  spring,  playing  some  blood-curdling,  scalp- 
taking;  hair-raising  border  drama  which  all  boys  eager 
strove  to  see,  and  when  his  old  chum  and  comrade,  the 
captain,  went  to  call  on  him  at  his  hotel,  the  great 
chief  of  scouts  would  not  rest  until  together  they  had 
gone  to  see  his  friends  "the  boys."  That  other 
parents  should  have  been  pestered  half  to  death  as  a 
result  of  this  visitation  any  one  who  knows  boys  has 
not  to  be  told,  and  many  were  the  queries  and  com 
plaints  addressed  to  the  laughing  cavalryman  upon  that 
score.  Parents,  as  a  rule,  had  no  proper  conception  of 
the  honest  merit  and  deserved  fame  of  this  transplanted 


8  UNDER  FJRE. 

hero,  Bill, — were  amazed  to  learn  from  Cranston  that 
he  was  no  fraud  at  all,  but  a  man  whom  he  and  his 
regimental  comrades  swore  by.  A  total  change  had 
come  over  the  spirit  of  the  school-boys'  dreams. 
Nothing  but  Indian  raids,  buffalo-hnnts,  or  terrific 
combats  diversified  the  hour  of  recess.  The  little  girls 
chose  romantic  prairie  names,  were  either  Indian 
maidens  or  ever-ready-to-be-rescued  damsels  in  dis 
tress.  The  boys  became  redoubtable  chiefs  or  rival 
imitation  scouts,  but  Louis  Cranston  alone  was  per 
mitted  to  play  the  role  of  Buffalo  Bill ;  in  his  presence 
no  other  boy  dare  attempt  it. 

It  was  a  revolutionized  society  long  before  that  bud 
ding  May  morning  on  which  the  captain  had  to  take 
train  for  the  far  West,  leaving  wife  and  little  ones  to 
his  father's  care  until  the  long  threatened  and  now 
imminent  campaign  should  be  over.  Then,  should 
God  spare  his  life  through  what  proved  to  be  the 
fiercest  and  most  fatal  of  ten  fierce  and  fatal  summers, 
they  should  rejoin  him  at  some  distant  frontier  fort, 
and  the  boys'  triumphant  reign  at  school  be  ended. 
Loudly  did  they  clamor  to  be  taken  with  him.  Stoutly 
did  Louis  maintain  that  his  pony  could  keep  up  with 
the  swiftest  racer  in  the  regiment,  and  indirectly  did 
he  give  it  to  be  understood  at  school  that  just  as  soon 
as  the  war  really  began  he'd  be  out  with  t(  C"  troop  as 
he  had  been  in  the  past.  The  war  had  begun  and  some 
savage  fighting  had  already  taken  place,  when  the  orders 
were  launched  for  the  Eleventh  Cavalry  to  concentrate 
for  field  service.  Cranston  wired  that  he  would  give  up 
the  last  ten  days  of  his  leave,  and  Mrs.  Cranston,  brave, 
submissive,  but  weeping  sore  at  times,  set  to  packing  her 


UNDER  FIRE.  9 

soldier's  trunk.  It  was  their  last  evening  together  for 
many  a  long  month,  and  their  friends  knew  it,  and 
therefore,  even  if  they  called  to  leave  a  sympathetic 
word  with  the  grandparents,  they  did  not  expect  to  see 
the  captain  and  his  wife.  Once  or  twice  the  gray- 
haired  mother  had  come  to  twine  her  arms  about  her 
big  boy's  neck,  or  to  say  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Somebody 
had  just  called,  but  wouldn't  intrude.  It  was,  there 
fore,  a  surprise  when  towards  nine  o'clock  she  came  to 
announce  a  caller  below, — a  caller  who  begged  not  to 
be  denied, — Mrs.  Barnard. 

"Mrs.  Barnard!"  exclaimed  the  army  wife,  in  that 
tone  in  which  incredulity  mingled  with  surprise  tells 
to  the  observant  ear  that  no  welcome  awaits  the  an 
nounced  one. 

"  Who -is  Mrs.  Barnard?"  asked  the  trooper,  looking 
up  from  the  depths  of  his  big  trunk. 

"  Oh,  her  husband  owns  about  half  the  tenth  ward/' 
said  Mrs.  Cranston  the  elder,  city  bred,  "  and/'  hesi 
tatingly,  "  you've  often  seen  her  in  church." 

"  At  church — yes/'  answered  her  daughter-in-law, 
"but  no  one  ever  sees  her  anywhere  else.  She  has 
never  called  on  me,  has  she  ?" 

"  No,"  said  the  elder  lady.  "  They  are  old  resi 
dents,  though,  and  years  ago  when  the  city  was  new 
your  father  and  hers — indeed,  her  husband  and  mine — 
were  well  acquainted,  but  we  drifted  apart  as  the  city 
grew.  She  was  Almira  Prendergast." 

"  I'm  sure  I  never  heard  of  her  when  I  was  a  girl, 
though,  of  course,  I  was  away  at  school  a  good  deal. 
Every  one  knows  her  by  sight  now  because  she's  the 
most  conspicuous  woman  in  church.  She  dresses 


10  UNDER  FIRE. 

magnificently/'  said  Mrs.  Cranston  the  younger.  "  I 
couldn't  help  noticing  her  diamonds  last  Sunday.'' 

"  They  must  have  been  big,  Meg/'  put  in  the  cap 
tain,  reflectively,  as  he  was  getting  himself  out  of  his 
smok ing-jacket.  "  Let's  see, — ours  is  a  hundred-dollar 
pew  down  near  the  foot  of  the  side  aisle,  and  hers  a 
thousand-dollar  box-stall  just  in  front  of  the  centre. 
Could  they  flash  all  that  distance  ?  They'd  be  useful 
for  signalling " 

"  Wilbur !  I  do  wish  you  wouldn't  mingle  church 
and  cavalry  slang.  It's  downright  irreverent,  and  at 
the  bottom  of  your  heart  you're  anything  but  an 
irreverent  man." 

"  I  won't/'  said  the  captain,  solemnly ;  "  at  least  I'll 
try  to  separate  the  ideas — they  are  a  trifle  incongruous 
— if  you'll  tell  me  how  at  that  distance  you  could 
mingle  your  devotions  with  appraisal  of  Mrs.  Bar 
nard's  diamonds." 

"  I  didn't.  If  you'd  gone  to  church  yourself  you'd 
understand  these  things.  I  couldn't  help  it.  I  simply 
happened  to  be  next  to  her  afterwards — at  communion." 

"Oh,  I  see,"  said  Cranston,  giving  a  jab  at  his 
thinning  hair  with  the  thickest  and  stitfest  of  brushes. 
"That  does  bring  us  to  close  quarters,  doesn't  it?" 
Then  with  provoking  deliberation  he  rearranged  his 
necktie  and  began  pulling  on  his  coat.  "  Hum,  let's 
see,"  he  went  on,  his  eyes  twinkling  and  his  lips 
twitching  ominously,  "  anything  wrong  about  Mrs.  B., 
mother  mine,  or  with  the  millionaire  husband?  No? 
I  see  :  just  some  of  those  people  one  meets  at  the  Lord's 
table  and  nobody  else's." 

"  Wilbur !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Cranston,  in  tones  of 


UNDER  FIRE.  11 

horror.  "  Indeed,  indeed,  mamma,  be  isn't  a  bit  like  that 
out  on  the  frontier.  It's  only  when  he  gets  into  civil 
ized  church  circles  that  he  says  these  outrageous  things. 
If  you  could  hear  him  read  the  burial  service  over  some 
of  our  poor  fellows  as  I  have  heard  him,  you'd  know 
he  lacked  no  reverence  at  all.  He's  queer, — he  always 
has  been  about  these  social  distinctions.  You  know 
and  I  know  they  are  inevitable." 

But  leaving  wife  and  mother  to  deplore  his  conduct 
and  comfort  each  other  with  the  assurance  that  he 
really  knew  better  and  wasn't  as  bad  as  he  painted 
himself,  which  was  occasionally  in  lurid  colors,  as  must 
be  admitted,  Captain  Cranston  went  down-stairs  with 
a  certain  stiffness  of  gait  which  his  intimates  were  well 
aware  wras  attributable  entirely  to  a  war  reminiscence 
of  Pickett's  parapet  at  Five  Forks,  but  which  nine 
out  of  ten,  uninitiated,  ascribed  to  military  hauteur. 
He  was  still  smiling  his  whimsical,  teasing  smile,  for, 
though  a  devoted  son,  husband,  and  father,  Wilbur 
Cranston  was  at  times  a  trial  to  his  feminine  connec 
tions,  and  entertained  on  matters  of  church  and  state 
some  views  that  were  incompatible  with  those  of  high 
societv.  With  opportunities  second  to  none  other 
when  he  joined  the  pioneer  circle  in  the  early  days, 
Mr.  Cranston,  senior,  had  but  moderately  prospered 
from  a  worldly  point  of  view.  Eminent  in  his  pro 
fession,  he  was  destitute  of  any  instinct  of  accumula 
tion.  He  was  a  man  the  whole  county  honored, — 
whose  word  was  his  bond,  whose  purse-strings  had 
never  known  a  knot, — who  had  made  large  moneys  in 
the  law  and  spent  them  in  charity,  until  now,  occupy 
ing  a  social  position  at  the  top  of  the  ladder,  he  lived 


12  UNDER  FIRE. 

but  modestly  in  the  house  that  was  once  the  envy 
of  all  his  neighbors,  many  of  whom  once,  and  more 
than  once,  the  beneficiaries  of  his  charity,  now  looked 
down  upon  him  from  the  colossal  heights  of  their 
wheat  elevators  or  sixteen-story  office  blocks.  "The 
Cranstons  were  among  our  oldest  and  best  people,"  said 
Society  ;  "  it  is  too  bad  they  are  so  poor."  For  there 
had  been  a  time  when  the  old  lawyer's  health  failed 
and  practice  was  forbidden,  and  when  Wilbur,  once 
the  recipient  of  a  liberal  allowance,  felt  called  upon 
not  only  to  resign  that,  but  often  to  help  from  a  cap 
tain's  pay.  Better  times  had  come,  and  the  soldier 
son  had  been  able  to  make  investments  for  himself 
and  for  his  father  in  far  Western  mining  property  that 
yielded  good  return ;  but  even  when  known  as  one  of 
the  few  well-to-do  men  in  his  regiment,  Cranston  had 
persisted  in  a  certain  simplicity  of  living  that  some 
people  could  not  understand.  There  were  officers  who 
had  married  wealthy  women, — women  whose  gowns 
were  superb,  whose  parlors  and  tables  were  richly 
furnished,  whose  household  establishments  put  to 
shame  those  of  three-fourths  of  their  companions; 
whereas  Cranston,  even  when  he  was  able  to  dress  his 
family  fashionably  and  furnish  his  quarters  elaborately, 
would  not  do  it.  "Every  year,"  said  he,  "some  of 
our  most  promising  young  officers  are  going  to  the 
devil  because  they  or  their  wives  try  to  dress  or  to 
entertain  as  do  their  wealthy  neighbors.  It's  all 
wrong,  and  I  won't  set  the  example.  It's  getting  to 
be  the  curse  of  our  army,  Meg,  and  if  I  had  my  way 
I'd  introduce  a  law  the  reverse  of  that  in  force  in 
foreign  armies.  Over  there  no  officer  can  marry 


VNDER  FIRE.  13 

unless  he  and  his  bride-elect  can  show  that  they  will 
have  over  a  certain  income  to  live  upon.  In  a  re 
publican  army  like  ours  no  man  ought  to  be  commis 
sioned  unless  he  will  agree  to  live  on  less  than  a  fixed 
amount  for  each  successive  grade."  They  called  him 
"  Crank  Cranston"  in  the  Eleventh  for  quite  a  while, 
but  without  affecting  in  the  faintest  degree  his  sturdy 
stand.  Margaret's  gowns  continued  simple  and  inex 
pensive,  and  their  mode  of  living  modest  as  any  sub 
altern's,  and  many  women  spoke  of  them  as  "  close" 
and  "mean/7  but  many  men  wished  openly  they  had 
Cranston's  moral  courage.  At  home,  too,  better  times 
had  come.  There  was  the  old  homestead,  and  Mr. 
Cranston  as  counsel  of  certain  big  corporations  had 
his  easy  salary  and  little  work.  There  was  no  anxiety, 
but  there  should  be,  said  he,  no  extravagance. 

On  the  other  hand,  neighbor  Barnard,  who  in  by 
gone  days,  tin  dinner-pail  in  hand,  tramped  cheerily  by 
the  lawyer's  rose-trellised  home  long  hours  before  the 
household  was  awake,  and  who  in  his  early  struggles 
to  maintain  his  little  lot  and  roof  had  often  availed 
himself  of  his  neighbor's  known  liberality,  had  been 
surely  and  steadily  climbing  to  wealth  and  honors, 
was  now  among  the  ranking  capitalists  of  the  great 
and  growing  city,  and  a  few  years  back  had  been 
united  in  marriage  to  the  admiration  of  his  early 
school  days, — Almira  Prendergast,  who,  disdaining 
him  in  the  early  50's  and  wedding  the  youth  of  her 
choice,  was  overwhelmed  with  joy  to  find  in  the  days 
of  want  and  widowhood,  fifteen  years  later,  that  Bar 
nard  had  been  faithful  to  his  ideal,  had  remained  single 
for  her  sake,  and  so  at  last  had  she  consented  to  accept 

2 


14  UNDER  FIRE. 

him  and  the  control  of  his  household.  A  pew  in  the 
"  First  Presbyterian"  had  been  for  years  his  habitual 
resort  on  the  Sabbath,  but  as  time  wore  on  and  wealth 
accumulated  and  the  lady  of  his  love  assumed  more 
and  more  the  leadership  in  all  matters,  spiritual  and 
domestic,  he  saw  his  establishment  blossoming  into 
unaccustomed  splendor,  he  met  new  people,  later 
comers  from  the  distant  East,  and  dropped  the  old, 
the  friends  of  his  boy  days.  He  never  meant  to.  He 
was  engrossed  in  his  affairs.  He  let  Mrs.  Barnard 
"  run  the  machine,"  as  he  used  to  phrase  it,  knowing 
nothing  of  that  sort  of  thing  himself,  and  Almira's 
buxom  beauty,  attired  now  in  splendor  hitherto  un 
dreamed  of,  was  rapidly  rising  into  prominence  in  the 
new  and  growing  circle  wherein  the  old  families  re 
volved  but  seldom,  but  the  errant  orbits  of  Eastern 
stars  were  quick  entangled  ;  and  some  few  years  after 
their  marriage  a  new  and  gorgeous  edifice  having  been 
erected  by  the  congregation  of  St.  Judc's,  and  a 
daughter  having  been  born  to  Barnard,  the  man  of 
money  heard  without  surprise  and  with  little  resist 
ance  his  wife's  change  of  faith  in  revealed  religion. 
St.  Jude's,  a  parochial  offspring  of  old  and  established 
St.  Paul's  down-town,  had  become  an  ecclesiastical 
necessity  in  the  growing  north  side.  The  Cranstons 
transferred  their  pew,  as  did  others,  to  follow  a  fa 
vorite  rector  and  his  gospel  closer  to  home.  Mrs. 
Barnard  experienced  a  long  projected  change  of  heart 
because  the  acknowledged  leaders  of  the  social  circle 
herded  thither,  and  Barnard  followed  as  his  wife 
might  lead.  The  great  memorial  window  in  the  south 
transept,  through  whose  hallowed  purpling  the  noon- 


UNDER  FIRE.  15 

day  sunshine  streamed  rich  and  mellow  on  the  gray 
head  in  that  prominent  central  pew,  was  the  devout 
offering  of  Thomas  Barnard  and  Almira,  his  wife,  in 
testimony  of  their  abandonment  of  the  faith  of  their 
fathers  and  the  adoption  of  that  which  in  school  days 
they  had  held  to  be  idolatrous.  Wilbur  Cranston  well 
recalled  how  in  his  school  days  Tom  Barnard's  honest, 
sturdy  form  went  trudging  by  at  nightfall  from  the 
long  day's  labor  with  the  railway  gang  of  which  he 
was  "  boss/'  but  Tom  was  a  division  superintendent 
when  the  lawyer's  boy  came  home  from  West  Point 
on  furlough  just  as  the  war  dogs  began  their  growling 
along  the  border  States.  And  now  Tom  Barnard 
owned  all  the  tenth  ward  and  most  of  the  railroad, 
did  he?  And  it  was  Tom  Barnard's  wife,  a  fair,  fat 
penitent  in  sealskin  and  sables,  who  drove  by  in  such 
a  magnificent  sleigh  and  style  to  humble  herself  at  the 
altar  by  the  side  of  such  as  we,  whose  social  shoes  she 
was  as  yet  held  unworthy  to  unlatch?  Wilbur  re 
membered  how  once,  some  years  before,  when  his 
father's  affairs  were  straitened  and  his  own  were 
cramped,  when  Meg  and  the  baby  actually  and  sorely 
needed  change,  but  she  sturdily  refused  to  leave  him 
and  go  East  because  of  the  expense,  he  had  bethought 
him  of  Tom  Barnard,  the  rising  railway  man,  and 
wrote  him  a  personal  note  explaining  the  situation  and 
asking  through  his  influence  if  such  a  thing  as  a  pass 
for  himself  and  wife  could  be  obtained  over  certain 
roads  east  of  the  Missouri,  and  the  answer  came, 
written  by  a  secretary,  brief  and  to  the  point.  Mr. 
Barnard  enclosed  pass  over  the  Q.  R.  &  X.  for  Mr. 
Cranston  and  wife,  but  did  not  feel  in  a  position  to 


16  UNDER  FIRE. 

ask  favors  of  any  other  road.  And  now  Tom  Bar 
nard's  wife  had  come  almost  at  the  last  moment  of  his 
stay  and  begged  that  he  would  not  refuse  to  see  her. 
What  on  earth  could  she  want  ? 

A  boy  with  a  telegram  had  just  entered  and  was  at 
the  open  door  as  the  captain  reached  the  hall.  Under 
the  gas  lamp  without  Cranston  saw  the  carriage  stand 
ing  by  the  curb — a  livery  team,  not  the  beautiful  roans 
that  had  caught  his  trooper  eye  the  first  Sunday  of  his 
leave  when  he  went  to  church  with  mother  and  Meg. 
The  message  was  sharp  and  clear  enough  in  all  con 
science  : 

"  We  march  at  once.  You  can  catch  us  at  Fetter- 
man.  GRAY,  Adjutant" 

"So  old  Winthrop  goes  in  command  and  Bob  Gray 
as  adjutant,"  he  mused.  "Then  I've  no  minute  to 
waste." 

His  step  was  quicker,  his  bearing  unconsciously 
more  erect  and  soldierly,  as  he  entered  the  parlor  and 
found  himself  facing  the  lady. 

"  I  ask  your  pardon  for  keeping  you  waiting,  Mrs. 
Barnard.  I  was  in  the  midst  of  packing  when  you 
came,  as  I  must  go  West  at  once." 

She  had  not  risen  from  the  easy-chair, — a  com 
fortable  old  family  relic  which  stood  opposite  the  old- 
fashioned  piano.  She  leaned  forward,  however,  so 
that  the  sealskin  mantle,  which  the  warmth  of  the 
room  and  the  length  of  her  wait  had  prompted  her  to 
throw  back,  settled  down  from  her  shoulders  in  rich 
and  luxurious  folds.  She  gave  him,  naif  extended,  a 


UNDER  FIRE.  17 

hand,  which  he  lifted  aud  lowered  once  after  the 
fashion  of  the  day  and  then  released.  He  remembered 
her  nosv  perfectly, — the  Almira  Prendergast  the  big 
boys  used  to  say  was  by  long  odds  the  prettiest  girl  in 
the  days  when  half  a  dozen  big  brick  ward  schools 
were  all  the  town  afforded,  but  he  did  not  say  so,  nor 
did  she  care  to  have  him. 

"  Perhaps  I  ought  to  begin  by  apologizing  for  taking 
up  your  time,"  she  said,  as  though  not  knowing  how 
to  begin ;  and  then  he  saw  that  heavy  lines  of  grief 
and  anxiety  had  eaten  their  way  underneath  her  dark 
and  luminous  eyes, — ravages  that  no  tinsel  could  cover 
or  wealth  dislodge.  "  Was  it  the  driver  you  spoke  to 
at  the  door  ?  I  heard  you  say  wait.  I  had  already 
told  him ;  but  it  isn't  my  carriage,"  she  went  on  depre- 
catingly.  "  Our  horses  cannot  stand  night  work,  the 
coachman  says,  and  there's  always  something  the 
matter  with  them  when  they  are  most  needed." 

She  was  looking  at  him  appealingly,  as  though  she 
hoped  he  might  suggest  some  way  of  helping  her  to 
say  what  had  brought  her  thither — besides  a  livery 
carriage;  but  Cranston  had  taken  a  seat  aud  was 
waiting,  the  telegram  crushed  in  his  hand.  At  last 
she  spoke  again. 

"  You— went  to  West  Point,  didn't  you?" 

"I?     Yes." 

"  Well,  then,  you  could  tell  me,  couldn't  you,  how 
to  get  my  boy  there  ?" 

"  You  mean  by-and-by  when  he  is  old  enough  ?" 

"  No.     I  mean  now, — at  once, — this  week  in  fact." 

"  \V — ell.  That  is  hardly  possible,  Mrs.  Barnard. 
Cadets  are  admitted  only  in  June  or  September, 
b  2* 


18  UNDER  FIRE. 

and  only  then  when  there's  a  vacancy  in  their  con 
gressional  district.  But,  pardon  me.  How  old  is  your 
boy?" 

"  He  is  twenty-one, — my  eldest, — my  first  husband's." 

"  And  you  wanted  to  make  a  soldier  of  him?"  asked 
Cranston,  smilingly. 

"  Indeed,  no  !  It's  the  last  thing  on  earth  I'd  have 
chosen,  nor  would  he,  I  am  sure,  if  he  were  in  his  right 
mind." 

"Oh,  well,  then  I  shouldn't  worry  about  it,  Mrs. 
Barnard.  In  this  country,  you  know,  no  one  has  to 
be  a  soldier  unless  he  very  much  wants  to,  and  very 
often  then  he  can't.  And  no  boy  who  isn't  in  his  right 
mind  could  get  into  the  Point  even  if  given  a  cadet- 
ship.  What  made  you  think  of  it?" 

"  Why,  it  seemed — at  least  I  was  told— it  was  the 
only  way  out  of  the  trouble  he  is  in.  He — is  already 
in  the  army,  but  I'm  told  it  isn't  so  bad  if  one  is  an 
officer." 

Cranston  kept  his  face  with  admirable  gravity. 

"  Then  I  assume  that  he  has  enlisted.  If  he  is  only 
just  twenty-one  and  enlisted  without  your  consent 
before  his  birthday,  you  can  still  have  him  out." 

"  Oh,  we've  tried  that,"  said  Mrs.  Barnard,  gravely, 
"  but  he  had  tried  twice  before  he  was  twenty-one,  and 
they  refused  him  until  he  brought  papers  to  prove  his 
age.  Then  when  he  did  enlist  and  we  attempted  to 
have  it  annulled,  they  confronted  us  with  these.  They 
refused  to  believe  our  lawyer." 

"Well,  pardon  me,  which  was  right,  the  papers  or 
the  lawyer?" 

"The  paper.     It  was  my  own  letter;  but  I  didn't 


UNDER  FIRE.  19 

suppose  they  had  it  when — when  we  sought  to  have 
him  released  as  not  of  legal  age." 

Cranston  smiled.  "  Was  it  Mr.  Barnard's  proposi 
tion  or  the  lawyer's  ?" 

"  Well,  the  lawyer  said  at  first  there  was  no  other 
way  that  he  knew  of,  we'd  have  to  do  that.  Of  course 
you  understand  I  wouldn't  ordinarily  authorize  an 
untruth,  but — consider  the  degradation." 

"  The  degradation  of — having  to — authorize  the  un 
truth?" 

"No;  of  his  enlisting, — becoming  a  soldier.  I 
thought  I'd  had  to  suffer  a  good  deal,  but  I  never 
looked  for  that." 

And  then  Cranston  saw  her  eyes  were  full  of  tears. 

She  had  tried  lawyers.  She  had  used  money.  She 
had  invoked  the  influence  of  powerful  friends.  Each 
and  everyone  consulted  assured  her  that  the  case  could 
be  settled  in  a  twinkling.  They  would  get  the  boy  dis 
charged  at  once.  Then  one  after  another  all  had  failed, 
and  then  some  one  suggested  to  see  him,  Cranston ; 
he  was  a  regular,  perhaps  he  could  help.  It  was  hard 
to  think  of  her  son  as  a  soldier,  but,  said  she,  if  he  had 
to  be,  for  a  time  at  least,  why  not  get  him  out  of  where 
he  was  and  put  him  at  West  Point?  She  had  come, 
she  said,  to  tell  Cranston  the  whole  story,  and  then  he 
could  have  kicked  himself  for  the  momentary  amuse 
ment  she  had  caused  him. 

Ah,  what  an  old,  time-worn  story  of  mother  love, 
mother  spoiling,  mother  sorrow  !  Her  bonny  boy, 
her  first-born,  wild,  impulsive,  self-indulgent,  over 
indulged  as  was  his  father  before  him,  he  had  gone  the 
pace  from  early  youth ;  had  been  sent  to  and  sent  from 


20  UNDER  FIRE. 

one  school  after  another;  had  filled  and  forfeited  half 
a  dozen  clerkships;  tampered  with  cards  and  drink 
and  bad  company.  Mr.  Barnard  had  been  willing  to 
do  anything — everything  for  him,  but  he  had  dis 
honored  every  effort,  broken  every  compact,  failed  in 
every  trial,  forfeited  every  trust.  At  last  there  had 
been  hot  and  furious  words,  expulsion  from  the  house 
and  home,  a  life  of  recklessness,  gambling  and  drink 
ing  on  moneys  wrung  from  her  until  her  patience  and 
supplies  both  had  given  out.  Then  some  darker 
shadow, — arrest  and  incarceration,  one  more  appeal  to 
mother,  one  more,  on  her  knees,  from  mother  to  hus 
band,  a  compromised  case,  a  quashed  indictment,  tem 
porary  residence  at  a  resort  for  cure  of  inebriates — the 
one  condition  exacted  by  Barnard — and  prompt  relapse, 
when  discharged,  into  his  former  habits, — disgraceful 
arrest  because  of  some  trouble  into  which  he  had  been 
led  while  drinking.  This,  all  this  she  had  borne,  but 
never  dreamed,  said  she,  that  worse  still  could  follow, 
— that  he  could  sink  so  low  as  to  become  a  soldier. 

What  Captain  Cranston  would  have  said  to  a  man 
who  had  come  to  him  with  such  a  tale,  and  with  such 
unflattering  conception  of  the  profession  he  was  proud 
of,  need  not  here  be  recorded.  It  was  a  mother,  help 
less,  sorrowing,  and  honest  at  least  in  her  impression 
of  the  step  taken  by  her  recreant  boy.  She  had  come 
craving  help  and  counsel,  not  instruction  in  the  in 
justice  of  her  estimates.  Quivering,  trembling,  weep 
ing,  the  heart-sick  woman  in  her  magnificent  robes  had 
opened  the  flood-gates  of  her  soul  and  poured  out  to 
this  comparative  stranger  the  story  of  her  son's  de 
pravity.  Aloft,  two  women  listened  awe  stricken  to 


UNDER   FIRE.  21 

her  sobs.  Cranston  brought  her  water,  made  her  drink 
a  little  wine,  and  bade  her  take  comfort,  and  amazed 
her  by  saying  that  at  last  her  boy  had  shown  a  gleam 
of  manhood,  a  promise  of  redemption.  She  looked 
up  through  her  tears  in  sudden  amaze.  How  was  that 
possible  ?  He  must  have  been  drunk  when  he  did  it, 
and  couldn't  have  been  anything  but  drunk  ever  since. 
Cranston  patiently  explained  that  so  far  from  being 
drunk,  the  boy  must  have  been  perfectly  sober  or  they 
couldn't  have  taken  him.  He  had  been  frequently  to 
the  recruiting  office,  according  to  her  account,  and  must 
have  been  sober  at  such  times,  or  they  would  have  dis 
couraged  his  coming  again.  He  couldn't  have  been 
drinking  to  any  extent  since  enlistment  or  he  could 
not  be  where  she  said  he  was,  and  knew  he  was,  on 
daily  duty  as  clerk  in  the  office  of  the  adjutant  at  the 
barracks.  So  far  from  its  indicating  downfall,  degra 
dation,  it  was  the  one  ray  of  hope  of  better  days.  She 
looked  at  him,  joy  and  incredulity  mingling  in  her 
swimming  eyes.  "Then  why  does  everybodv  I've 
consulted,  even  our  rector,  urge  me  to  leave  no  stone 
unturned  to  get  him  out  of  it,  even  if  we  have  to  buy 
him  a  place  at  West  Point?"  was  her  query.  And 
again  Cranston  found  it  hard  to  control  his  muscles — 
and  his  temper.  Had  it  come  to  this? — that  here  in 
his  old  home  the  accepted  idea  of  the  regular  soldier 
was  that  of  something  lower  than  the  refuse  of  the 
prisons  and  reformatories?  He  could  only  tell  her 
that  it  was  because  they  knew  no  better.  Up  to  the 
time  of  her  boy's  determination  to  enter  the  army  had 
there  been  one  single  moment  in  the  last  five  years 
when  he  had  been  free  from  his  habits  of  drinking? 


22  UNDER   FIRE. 

asked  Cranston.  No,  not  one.  And  yet  that  step  was 
her  conception  of  final  degradation.  What  had  oc 
curred,  he  asked,  to  make  her  feel  renewed  anxiety,  to 
cause  her  to  seek  a  cadetship  for  him  ?  Because  the 
boy  had  written  that  recruits  were  soon  to  be  sent  to 
cavalry  regiments  out  on  the  plains,  and  he  had  asked 
to  go.  The  thought  was  terror.  And  Mrs.  Barnard 
had  learned  that  a  congressman  from  the  interior  of 
the  State  had  a  cadetship  to  dispose  of,  but  he  lived  at 
Urbana,  the  very  place  where  poor  Harry  had  spent 
his  two  months  in  the  retreat,  and  then  had  disbehaved 
so  afterwards.  And  Mr.  Goss,  the  congressman,  wanted 
references, — wanted  him  to  pass  examination,  which  he 
could  not  do,  because  he's  only  been  a  little  while  at 
school.  Harry  wrote  a  beautiful  hand,  and  had  read 
everything — everything,  but  he  hated  anything  like 
arithmetic  as  a  study,  and  Cranston  had  to  smile  and 
tell  her  that  that  in  itself  put  West  Point  out  of  the 
question.  But,  said  he,  if  he  has  ambition  and  ability, 
why  not  encourage  him  to  persevere  where  he  is  and 
win  commission  from  the  ranks  as  many  another  boy 
had  done?  Bless  the  mother  heart !  That,  too,  had 
occurred  to  her,  but  they  had  told  her  it  would  take 
two  years  at  least,  whereas  Harry  was  a  born  leader, 
a  born  commander.  That  boy  could  step  right  out 
now  and  command  an  army  if  need  be,  she  said,  and 
no  doubt  believed  it;  but  when  she  wrote  to  Mr. 
Cooper  about  it  (and  Mr.  Cooper  it  seems  wras  Colonel 
Cooper,  the  boy's  commanding  officer),  that  gentleman 
replied  that  while  the  young  soldier  had  certainly  con 
ducted  himself  in  a  most  exemplary  way  and  had 
given  promise  of  being  an  ornament  to  the  service, — 


UNDER  FIRE.  23 

"  He  used  those  very  words/'  said  she,  producing  the 
colonel's  letter.     "See,  'an  ornament  to  the  service/  ' 
— still,  the  colonel  could  hardly  promise  that  the  boy 
could  rise  above  the  grade  of  sergeant  inside  of  two 
years. 

Cranston  recognized  the  handwriting,  and  took  the 
letter.  "  I  know  Colonel  Cooper,"  he  said,  "  and  he 
means  just  exactly  what  he  writes.  Mrs.  Barnard,  I 
am  glad  you  carne.  I  am  glad  to  take  a  weight  off 
your  mind.  I  wish  your  friends  and  advisers  were 
here  that  I  might  say  this  in  their  presence,  especially 
our  good  rector,  but  I  say  to  you  with  all  my  heart,  I 
congratulate  you  on  the  step  your  boy  has  taken.  I 
honestly  believe  he  has  done  better  for  himself  than 
you  could  do  for  him,  and  I  advise  you  to  let  him  go 
and  learn  campaigning  on  the  frontier.  It  will  make 
a  man  of  him  if  anything  will,"  and  he  added  under 
his  breath,  "  or  kill  him." 

"  And  if  you  meet  my  boy,  you'll  help  him  ?  You'll 
be  a  friend  to  him?"  she  smiled  through  her  tears. 
"  God  bless  you  for  so  helping  me." 

"  I'll  help  him  every  way  I  know  how,"  said 
Cranston. 

And  so  they  parted.  She  infinitely  comforted,  he 
oddly  impressed.  But  Mrs.  Barnard  felt  that  fate  was 
still  against  her  and  her  boy  when,  four  weeks  later, 
flashed  the  news  of  savage  battle  with  the  Sioux,  of 
Captain  Cranston  shot  through  the  body  and  fear 
fully  wounded  in  the  fierce  encounter. 


24  UNDER  FIRE. 


CHAPTER    II. 

FIFTY  seats  in  the  parquette  had  been  reserved  for 
the  members  of  the  class  graduated  from  West  Point 
on  the  beautiful  morning  of  the  12th  of  June.  The 
brilliant  auditorium  was  thronged  with  friends  of  the 
young  fellows.  Officers  of  the  Academy  were  seated 
in  the  boxes,  interested  no  more  in  the  play  than  in 
the  enjoyment  of  "  the  boys"  just  released  from  their 
four  years  of  hard  study  and  rigid  discipline.  Two  of 
the  chairs  were  vacant  almost  until  the  close  of  the  first 
act,  then  their  owners  came  in. 

"You  fellows  have  missed  a  heap  of  fun,"  whis 
pered  a  classmate.  Then  a  burst  of  laughter  and 
applause  drowned  his  words.  "All  the  same  we 
didn't  miss  the  train,"  was  the  reply  as  soon  as  the 
new-comer  could  make  himself  heard,  after  the  lower 
ing  of  the  curtain.  "  Poor  old  Dad  !  It  wasn't  easy 
to  let  him  go." 

"  What  took  him  off  in  such  a  devil  of  a  hurry  ? 
We  counted  on  his  being  with  us  at  the  last  supper." 

"Oh,  the  Parson  don't  take  much  stock  in  last 
suppers — of  this  kind,"  answered  the  other  in  no 
irreverence  of  spirit,  for  the  young  fellow  spoke  in 
genuine  earnestness ;  "  still,  he  couldn't  have  gone  back 
on  us  if  it  hadn't  been  for  bad  news  from  home." 

"What,  his  mother?" 

"  No — o.     It's  a  girl.     He  said  he  had  to  go." 

"  Ah,  yes,  we  knew  all  along  he  was  engaged,  though 


UNDER    FIRE.  25 

he  never  said  anything  about  it.  Parson  never  struck 
me  as  being  one  of  the  spoony  kind." 

"  No,  he  wasn't  a  bit.  He  wrote  to  her  every  week, 
but  her  letters  kept  coming  all  the  time — regular  con 
tinued  stories ;  but  he  wouldn't  stand  chaffing  about 
them  and  didn't  fancy  remarks,  so  I  quit." 

"Know  anything  about  her?  Ever  see  her  pic 
ture?" 

u  Once,  by  accident, — a  mighty  pretty  girl,  too, — but 
he  never  talked  about  her;  it  wasn't  his  way.  We 
lived  together  the  last  two  years,  and  I  reckon  there 
isn't  anything  I  didn't  tell  him.  I  remember  how 
you  all  laughed  at  the  idea  of  my  taking  up  with 
'  Parson'  Davies,  but  he's  pure  gold." 

"  There's  no  discount  on  that,  Jimmy ;  but  what  a 
time  it  took  to  find  it  out !  If  it  weren't  for  the 
riding-hall  we  never  would  have  known  how  much 
there  was  to  him.  There  may  be  some  prettier  riders 
than  Parson,  but  he's  all  round  the  best  horseman  in 
the  class.  What  on  earth  did  he  choose  the  infantry 
for?" 

"Something  about  that  girl,  I  reckon.  Looks  to 
me  as  though  he  were  going  to  get  married  before  he 
joined  the  regiment." 

"  Sacrificing  himself  and  his  profession  for  the  sake 
of  a  spoons,  is  it?  Well,  thank  God,  I'm  not  in  love, 
and  I  wish  he  weren't." 

Meantime  the  subject  of  this  cadet  chat,  a  tall, 
slender,  serious-faced  young  fellow,  was  sitting  in  one 
of  the  crowded  cars  of  the  night  express  whistling 
away  up  the  shores  of  the  Hudson,  shadowy  yet  fa 
miliar,  fifty  miles  to  the  hour.  His  new  civilian  dress 
B  3 


26  UNDER   FIRE. 

— donned  that  morning  for  the  first  time — bore  some 
thing  of  the  cadet  about  it  in  its  trim  adjustment  to 
the  lines  of  his  erect,  even  gaunt  figure.  He  sat 
very  straight,  looking  silently  across  the  aisle  out  on 
the  starlit  river  to  his  left,  and  holding  on  his  knees 
the  new  dark-blue  cape  and  an  old  travelling-bag.  A 
lone  woman  in  search  of  a  seat  had  entered  the  car  at 
Harlem  and  passed  by  a  dozen  unsympathetic  travellers, 
who  made  no  move  to  share  the  seat  over  which  they 
sprawled  aggressively.  The  first  to  lift  his  satchel  and 
make  way  for  her  was  the  tall,  thin- faced  young  man 
in  the  straw  hat  and  pepper-and-salt  suit.  He  rose 
and  offered  her  the  inner  half,  which  she  accepted 
gratefully,  then  thanked  him  in  broken  English  for 
stowing  her  various  bundles  in  the  rack  above. 

The  conductor  looked  oddly  at  him  as  he  unrolled 
his  ticket. 

"  Going  through  ?     Don't  you  want  a  sleeper  ?" 

" How  much  is  a  single  berth  to  Chicago?" 

"  Five  dollars." 

"  No.     I'll  get  along  here." 

Not  until  they  reached  Albany,  after  midnight,  had 
he  a  seat  to  himself.  Meantime,  finding  his  com 
panion  overcome  by  drowsiness  and  her  poor  old  head 
bobbing  helplessly,  he  rolled  his  new  cloak  cape  into  a 
sort  of  pillow,  wedged  it  between  her  and  the  window 
seat,  and  bade  her  use  it.  As  they  came  in  view  of 
the  brightly-lighted  station  she  awoke  with  a  start  and 
made  a  spring  for  her  belongings.  She  had  slept 
soundly  ever  since  they  left  Poughkeepsie,  and  was 
again  profuse  in  gratitude.  "We  stay  here  several 
minutes,"  said  Mr.  Davies.  "Let  me  help  you  with 


UNDER  FIRE.  27 

your  bundles."  And,  unheeding  her  protest,  he  marched 
off  with  a  bird-cage  and  a  big  band-box.  A  burly 
German  made  a  rush  for  the  car  the  moment  she  ap 
peared  upon  the  platform  and  lifted  her  off  with 
vehement  oscillatory  welcome,  Davies  standing  si 
lently  and  patiently  by  the  while,  then  surrendering 
her  traps  to  her  legal  protector.  "He  is  such  a  kind 
young  man,"  said  the  smiling  frau.  "  He  gif  me  his 
seat.  We  have  a  sohn,  yust  so  old  as  you,"  she  added, 
"but  he  is  farder  as  Chick -ago.  He  is  a  soldier,  out 
by  Fort  Larmie." 

"  Yes  ?"  said  Davies,  smiling.  "  Then  perhaps  I'll 
see  him  some  day.  I  expect  to  be  out  there  before 
long." 

"And  you  are  a  soldier,  too!  Ach  Gott !  ein  of- 
fizier?"  she  exclaimed,  in  consternation,  born  of  Ger 
man  associations. 

"  Not  yet,  though  I  suppose  I  shall  be  very  soon. 
What  is  your  boy's  regiment  ?" 

And,  jabbering  excitedly  now,  both  at  once,  the  two 
old  people  began  pouring  their  tale  into  his  ears ;  told 
their  boy's  name, — "  He  was  a  gorboral  alretty," — and 
they  were  justly  proud,  and  Davies  made  them  happy 
by  noting  the  name  and  company  in  his  book  and 
giving  his  own,  though  he  explained  that  he  was  not 
yet  a  lieutenant,  only  a  just- graduated  cadet,  but  that  if 
ever  he  found  the  corporal,  he  said,  he  should  tell  him 
of  his  pleasant  meeting  with  the  old  folks,  and  then, 
after  a  cup  of  coffee  at  the  restaurant  counter,  he  re 
turned  to  his  own  thoughts  and  the  car. 

Soon  they  were  spinning  up  along  the  shining  Mo 
hawk,  and  still  his  eyelids  would  not  close.  In  his 


28  UNDER  FIRE. 

waistcoat-pocket  lay  a  bulky  letter,  the  last  of  manv 
in  the  same  superscription — a  prim,  unformed,  school- 
girlish  hand — that  had  come  to  him  during  the  last  two 
years  of  his  cadet  life.  Its  predecessors,  carefully 
wrapped  and  tied,  were  in  the  old  trunk  somewhere 
ahead  among  the  baggage.  In  his  hand  again  was  the 
telegram  that,  reaching  him  at  the  moment  when  he 
was  bidding  adieu  to  the  academic  shades  he  had  grown 
so  deeply  to  love,  had  determined  him  in  the  already 
half-formed  resolution  to  cut  loose  from  his  comrades 
and  the  class  festivities  in  New  York  and  take  the 
first  train  for  the  far  West. 

11  URBANA,  June  12. 
"  Doctor  says  come  quick.     Almira  worse. 

"B." 

"B"  was  Almira's  elder  sister.  Urbana,  the  home 
of  his  boy-  and  her  girlhood,  the  home  where  his  father 
lived  and  died,  pastor  of  the  village  flock,  a  man 
whose  devotion  and  patriotism  during  the  great  war 
had  won  for  himself  the  friendship  of  the  leaders  of 
the  armies  of  the  West  and  for  his  only  son,  years 
afterwards,  the  prize  of  a  cadetship  at  West  Point. 
Deeply  religious  in  every  fibre  of  his  soul,  the  chaplain 
had  labored  among  the  hospitals  in  the  field  from  first 
to  last, 'and  died  not  long  after  the  close  of  the  historic 
struggle,  a  martyr  to  the  cause.  He  died  poor,  too,  as 
such  men  ever  die,  laying  up  no  treasures  upon  earth, 
where  moth  and  rust  and  thieves  are  said  to  lessen 
treasure  there  accumulated,  yet  where  its  accumulation 
seems  the  chief  end  of  man  not  spiritually  constituted 
as  was  Davies,  who  was  imposed  upon  by  every  beat 
and  beggar,  tramp  and  drab,  within  reachable  distance 


UNDER  FIRE.  29 

of  Urbana.  Far  and  wide  had  spread  abroad  the 
words  of  his  personal  creed, — that  he  would  rather  it 
were  recorded  against  him  that  he  had  been  duped  a 
million  times  than  that  one  human  being  had  left  his 
door  hungering.  His  widow  was  not  only  merely 
penniless,  she  was  helpless  but  for  the  strong  arms  of 
her  son,  who  slaved  for  her  as  the  father  had  slaved 
for  the  Union.  Those  were  the  days  when  pensions 
were  few.  It  was  too  soon  after  the  war,  and  facts 
were  fresher  in  men's  minds.  Percy  did  all  the  farm- 
work  by  day  and  taught  school  by  night  until,  in  his 
twenty-first  year,  he  was  sent  to  the  Military  Academy 
by  the  President  himself,  who  had  known  his  father 
from  the  days  of  Donelson.  It  was  told  of  the  tall, 
taciturn  young  man  that  he  seriously  contemplated 
resigning  during  his  fourth  class  year  when  he  found 
that  he  could  not  send  home  the  little  savings  from 
his  cadet  pay.  If  the  rule  of  the  sacred  command 
ment  could  but  be  made  to  work  both  ways,  and  days 
would  be  indeed  long  in  the  land  the  Lord  our  God 
had  given  to  him  who  most  honored  his  father  and 
mother,  no  life  insurance  company  in  all  America 
would  have  hesitated  in  Percy  Davies's  case,  had  the 
policy  been  millions  and  the  premium  unity.  A  gentle 
woman  was  Mrs.  Da  vies,  but  a  distressingly  helpless 
and  dependent  one,  and  it  was  an  old  saying  in  Ur- 
baua  that  Davies  had  married  poor  Salome  Percy 
because  if  he  didn't  nobody  would ;  not  because  he 
stood  in  need  of  her,  but  because  she  was  much  in  need 
of  him.  And  when,  not  long  after  his  father's  death, 
Percy  appealed  to  a  well-to-do  citizen  on  the  widow's 
behalf,  he  was  refused,  and  the  brawny  son  and  heir 


30  UNDER  FIRE. 

of  the  well-to-do  citizen  told  of  the  incident,  and  was 
idiot  enough  in  Percy's  presence  to  repeat  this  old 
village  saw  as  the  reason  of  the  refusal,  it  nearly  led 
to  tragedy.  Seizing  the  first  available  weapon,  a  flail, 
which  he  wielded  with  uncommon  skill,  in  one  mad 
moment  the  indignant  youth  smote  the  other  hip  and 
thigh, — the  first,  and  for  years  the  only,  time  he  was 
ever  known  to  lose  control  of  himself.  In  ten  seconds 
the  battered  gossip  was  sprawled  full  length,  and  they 
who  would  have  rushed  to  tear  his  assailant  away 
stood  amazed  to  see  him  tearfully  imploring  the  pardon 
of  the  vanquished. 

And  then  as  Percy  grew  in  years  and  grace,  working 
day  and  night  that  he  might  obey  that  last  sacred 
whispered  injunction,  "  Take  care  of  poor  mother," 
and  Urbana  grew  in  population  and  importance,  one 
mortgage  was  lifted  by  the  sale  of  part  of  their  little 
farm,  and  the  home  made  more  comfortable  for  the 
ailing,  querulous  woman,  She  loved  young  folks,  and 
yet  lacked  the  faculty  of  attracting  them.  Striving  to 
interest  some  of  the  village  maids  in  her,  Percy  inter 
ested  more  than  one  in  himself,  and  among  these  was 
a  rural  beauty,  by  name  Almira  Quimby.  She  was 
only  sixteen,  a  romantic  child  with  an  exquisite  com 
plexion,  big  melting  blue  eyes,  and  curling  ringlets. 
She  lived,  said  other  village  maids,  "  on  Sylvanus  Cobb 
and  slate-pencils."  She  devoured  with  avidity  every 
bit  of  sensational  trash  procurable  in  the  public  or  post- 
office  libraries,  and  made  eyes  at  the  tall,  strong  school 
master, — the  best  rider,  reaper,  thresher  in  the  field, 
and  best  reader  and  declaimer  in  the  winter  lyceums. 
He  was  intellectually  far  ahead  of  his  fellows,  and  his 


UNDER  FIRE.  31 

father  had  labored  to  teach  him.  He  was  "  serious/' 
which  was  our  Western  way  of  saying  he  had  strong 
religious  views,  and  Almira  became  devoted  in  her 
attentions  at  church,  Bible-class,  and  Sunday-school. 
Still,  he  did  not  become  an  adorer,  and  she  began  visit 
ing  the  widow  in  her  affliction,  and  thereby  seeing 
more  and  more  of  the  widow's  son.  There  were 
strapping  prairie  beaux  who  would  have  given  all  they 
possessed  for  any  one  of  the  soft,  shy  looks  she  stole 
at  Percy  Davies,  and  who  began  to  hate  him  vehemently 
as  her  fancy  for  him  increased. 

He  would  have  been  of  utterly  unimpressionable 
material  could  he  have  looked  unmoved  day  after  day 
upon  her  budding  beauty,  and  it  was  not  long  before 
Davies  found  himself  strangely  interested,  and  still  he 
would  not  speak.  It  was  not  until  his  appointment 
came,  and  he  was  preparing  to  go  to  the  Academy,  that 
he  owned  himself  vanquished.  Almira's  red  eyes  and 
not  entirely  concealed  emotion  had  told  the  mother  how 
the  girl  was  grieving  at  the  prospective  loss  of  her  first 
love,  and  she  with  motherly  solicitude  took  Percy  to 
task.  If  he  cared  for  Almira  why  didn't  he  say  so? 
With  perfect  truth  the  young  man  replied  that  he 
couldn't  help  admiring  her,  but  had  struggled  against 
it  because  he  was  in  no  position  to  marry,  and  did  not 
know  when  he  would  be.  To  this  the  mother  replied 
that  she  had  grown  very  fond  of  Almira,  and  had 
learned  to  depend  upon  her.  She  was  not  only  very 
pretty  but,  what  was  much  better,  a  very  good  girl, 
and  her  father  was  as  "  well-to-do"  as  anybody  in 
Urbana,  except  the  hotel-keeper.  He  could  well  afford 
to  give  her  part  of  the  big  farm  and  build  them  a 


32  UNDER  FIRE. 

house  near  the  widow's  own  roof.  She  knew,  or 
thought  she  knew,  as  do  so  many  of  us,  just  what  her 
neighbor  could  and  should  do,  but  overlooked  the  fact 
that  old  Quimby  had  two  sons  and  three  daughters 
older  than  Almira.  The  fact  that  most  of  them  were 
married  in  no  wise  detracted  from  their  expectations 
of  material  aid  from  the  "  old  man."  The  fact  that 
he  might  care  to  take  unto  himself  a  wife  to  replace 
the  late  incumbent  now  sleeping  placidly  in  Urbana's 
leafy  cemetery  was  no  more  contemplated  by  them 
than  by  the  Widow  Davies.  But  there  was  another 
widow  in  Sangamon  County  who  knew  better  and  who 
wisely  said  naught.  Almira's  father  was  well  off,  said 
Mrs.  Davies.  She  had  rich  relations  in  the  great 
metropolis  of  the  State.  Her  Aunt  Almira  was  mar 
ried  to  the  manager  of  the  Q.  R.  &  X.  Railway, — the 
man  who  used  to  send  father  Davies  an  annual  pass  so 
long  as  he  lived.  Mrs.  Davies  longed,  she  said,  to  see 
her  son  happily  mated,  and  then  she  would  be  glad  to 
go  and  rest  by  the  father's  side  under  the  shadow  of 
the  soldier's  monument.  How  it  all  happened  would 
be  too  long,  too  old,  and  by  no  means  uncommon  a 
story.  When  Percy  Davies  went  to  West  Point  he 
left  behind  him  a  weeping  maid  who  vowed  that  she 
would  wait  for  him  a  lifetime,  if  need  be.  It  was 
really  quite  a  romantic  parting,  and  the  young  man 
believed  himself  very  deeply  in  love,  and  so  did 
Almira. 

And  yet  he  was  not  easy  in  his  mind.  Percy  Davies 
was  old  for  his  years.  He  was  going  to  the  Point 
because  of  his  father's  strong  predilection  for  the 
graduates  of  that  institution.  The  son  had  no  especial 


UNDER  FIRE.  33 

taste  for  a  military  life.  He  was  studious.  He  would 
far  rather  have  gone  to  some  college  or  university  and 
pursued  a  classical  course,  and  then  studied  for  the  law 
or  the  ministry.  He  had  no  means  for  such  an  end, 
however,  and  accepted  what  was  offered  him  on  his 
father's  account,  with  no  little  uneasiness  on  his  own. 
It  was  not  his  desire  or  purpose  to  remain  in  the  army. 
If  he  could  honorably  do  so  he  meant  to  leave  the 
military  service  within  the  four  years  which  his  letter 
of  appointment  stipulated  he  should  serve  after  gradu 
ation.  He  doubted  the  propriety  of  his  accepting  it 
under  the  circumstances,  and  he — looked  upon  by  his 
fellow-men  and  youths  as  the  most  enviable  of  their 
number — left  his  home  for  the  new  life  in  no  enviable 
frame  of  mind. 

For  some  months  after  his  departure  Almira  fairly 
lived  with  the  invalid  mother,  and  was  faithful  both  to 
her  and  to  the  absent  lover.  Not  a  day  passed  without 
her  spending  hours  with  the  widow  and  discoursing 
on  the  perfections  of  the  absent  one.  Old  Quimby,  a 
hard-fisted,  hard-headed  old  democrat,  had  made  no 
objection  to  the  engagement,  remarking  that  if  'twan't 
Davies  'twould  be  somebody  else,  and  seeing  as  he  was 
the  smartest  lad  at  farming  and  schooling,  and  that  it 
would  be  four  years  anyhow,  why,  there  was  no  call  for 
him  to  worry.  Then  Urbaua  built  a  bigger  school- 
house  and  got  a  new  teacher,  and  for  two  years  saw 
naught  of  Percy  Davies.  Property  increasing  in  value, 
another  slice  of  the  homestead  lot  had  been  sold,  and 
with  economy  the  widow  could  be  comfortable  on  her 
little  income  ;  but  it  was  not  long  before  the  gossips, 
dropping  in  to  cheer  her  up  a  bit,  began  to  tell  of  the 


34  UNDER  FIRE. 

swains  who  were  making  eyes  at  'Mira,  and  then  of 
'Mira's  growing  consciousness  of  her  charms  and  fas 
cinations.  The  second  year  of  Percy's  absence  there 
could  be  no  doubt  that  three  or  four  bucolical  hearts 
were  turned  on  her  account.  Had  there  been  just  one 
devotee  the  absent  lover's  claims  might  have  been  en 
dangered,  but  there  being  several  she  was  content  in  a 
placid  cowlike  way  in  their  attentions,  and  became  less 
devoted  to  mamma.  With  the  second  summer,  how 
ever,  Percy  came  home  on  cadet  furlough.  The  slight 
stoop  was  gone.  An  erect,  martial  carriage  and  quick, 
springy  step  had  replaced  the  somewhat  plodding  gait 
of  the  school  and  farm.  The  sprouting  beard  and 
whiskers  had  vanished,  and  a  stiff  moustache,  which 
soon  began  to  curl  and  twist  becomingly,  adorned  his 
upper  lip.  The  "  store  clothes"  of  the  Western  town 
long  since  cast  aside,  Davies  appeared  in  stylish  and 
trim-fitting  civilian  dress,  but  resolutely  declined  all 
appeals  to  wear — except  for  mother's  eyes — the  uniform 
of  his  famous  corps.  When  he  went  on  sunshiny 
Sundays  to  the  church  that  seemed  hallowed  to  his 
father's  memory,  the  spotless  white  trousers  and  natty 
sack  coat  of  dark-blue  flannel  were,  however,  so  mili 
tary  in  their  effect  as  to  create,  despite  himself,  almost 
the  effect  of  regimentals.  Then  he  had  acquired 
already  an  air  and  manner,  a  polish  that  distinguished 
him  at  once  above  his  fellow-townsmen,  and  Almira's 
wavering  allegiance  gave  place  to  new  romance  and 
fervor.  The  old  flame  had  found  too  little  breath  in 
his  earnest,  honest  letters  to  keep  it  alive.  As  for 
him,  though  he  had  belonged  to  what  was  termed  the 
"  bachelor  gang"  at  the  Point  and  mingled  but  little 


UNDER   FIRE.  35 

in  ladies'  society,  he  was  a  close  observer,  and  Percy 
Davies  saw  at  a  glance  that  though  more  radiant  in  her 
rustic  beauty  than  before,  more  appealing  to  the  senses 
in  the  flush  of  her  health  and  unconscious  grace,  there 
was  still  something  besides  the  fashion  of  her  gown 
that  differed  widely  from  the  beauties  who  thronged 
the  gravelled  walks,  the  shady  groves,  the  tented  field 
of  the  national  military  academy.  The  swains  of  the 
winter  gone  by  were  less  in  evidence  now,  and  it  pleased 
her  anyhow  during  the  two  months  of  his  home  stay 
to  forget  them  one  and  all  and  cling  only  to  him. 
Changes  came  in  the  next  two  years — and  trouble. 
Old  Quimby  married  again.  Almira's  home-life  be 
came  unhappy.  Quarrels  ensued  between  the  new 
wife  and  the  children.  Reproaches  fell  from  the  lips 
of  the  failing  widow  because  of  Almira's  tacit  accept 
ance  of  the  devotions  of  young  Mr.  Powlett,  son  of  the 
resident  physician  of  the  sanitarium  that  was  now 
bringing  so  many  patients  to  Urbana.  A  handsome, 
dare-devil  sort  of  boy  was  Powlett,  who  speedily  cut 
out  all  the  local  beaux  at  the  parties  and  picnics  which 
filled  the  summer  of  '75.  A  beautiful  dancer  was  he, 
and  taught  Almira  to  waltz  and  "  glide''  in  a  style 
never  before  seen  in  Urbana,  and  that  other  couples 
first  derided,  then  envied,  then  vainly  strove  to  imitate. 
That  Urbana  censors  should  go  to  the  widow  with  in 
vidious  comment  upon  Almira's  misbehavior  was  a 
matter  of  course,  and  that  the  widow  should  transmit 
their  tales,  not  entirely  without  embellishment  and  re 
proof,  was  only  to  be  expected.  Almira  accepted  both 
with  ill  grace,  was  moved  to  tears  and  protest.  She 
couldn't  help  it  if  people  admired  her  and  liked  to 


36  UNDER  FIRE. 

dance  and  walk  and  talk  with  her.  She  must  either 
submit  to  it  or  shut  herself  up  and  mope  and  not  go 
out  at  all.  She  thought  Mrs.  Davies  most  unjust,  but 
she  did  not  promise  to  amend.  Then  the  widow,  find 
ing  Almira  obdurate,  was  moved  to  write  to  Percy 
advising  him  that  he  should  caution  her,  who  was  only 
light-hearted  and  thoughtless,  and,  to  the  widow's  sur 
prise,  Percy  refused.  He  gravely  wrote  that  Almira 
was  but  a  child  when  she  engaged  herself  to  him.  She 
had  seen  nothing  of  the  world  or  of  other  men,  and 
it  was  a  matter  he  would  not  interfere  with,  and  one 
that  he  desired  his  mother  to  leave  alone.  This  was 
simply  incomprehensible.  Urbana  was  very  gay  that 
autumn  and  early  winter.  The  sanitarium  was  the 
means  of  bringing  business  to  town,  and  a  number  of 
new  stores  were  opened,  and  new  young  men  came  to 
tend  the  counter  and  swell  the  parties,  and  still  young 
Powlett  held  supremacy,  and  everybody  began  to  say 
that  the  cadet  was  cut  out,  and  Almira  Quimby  had 
gone  over  heart  and  soul  to  the  new  claimant,  when 
there  came  a  cataclysm, — a  scandal  at  the  sanitarium, 
a  stir  at  the  Palace  Hotel,  Urbana's  new  hostelry, 
the  arrest  of  a  recently  discharged  patient  by  the  name 
of  Brannan,  an  afflicted  young  man  with  what  was 
described  as  an  unconquerable  mania  for  drink,  and 
the  sudden  disappearance  of  young  Powlett.  There 
was  investigation  and  more  scandal.  It  transpired 
that  this  young  Adonis  had  abused  his  father's  trust  to 
the  extent  of  smuggling  liquor  to  certain  patients  and 
of  heaven  only  knew  what  else.  Dr.  Powlett  resigned, 
crushed  and  humiliated.  Lawyers  came  and  bailed  out 
the  other  unfortunate,  of  whom  it  soon  was  rumored 


rXDER  FIRE.  37 

that  he  was  Almira  Quimby's  own  cousin,  the  son  of 
her  rich  city  aunt,  and  that  was  the  reason  the  lawyers 
and  not  the  relatives  came.  It  was  presently  estab 
lished  that  young  Brannan  was  more  sinned  against 
than  sinning,  and  the  holidays  opened,  with  a  fearful 
gap  in  Urbana,  for  Almira's  devoted  lover,  to  the  com 
fort  of  every  right-thinking  maid  and  swain  in  San- 
gamon  society,  had  fled,  no  one  knew  whither. 

Two  weeks  later  the  Widow  Davies  lay  at  death's 
door.  Her  son  was  telegraphed  for,  and  came.  His 
leave  was  for  only  one  week, — even  that  a  most  unusual 
concession,  granted  only  because  of  his  unimpeachable 
conduct  and  his  safe  though  not  high  standing  in 
scholarship.  His  coming  seemed  to  give  new  life  to 
the  mother,  and  Almira  vied  with  him  in  attention 
and  devotion.  Urbana  took  it  much  to  heart  that 
after  her  mouths  of  monopoly  of  Mr.  Powlett,  of 
whom  the  most  damaging  and  dreadful  things  were 
now  told,  she  should  so  calmly  and  complacently  resume 
her  apparent  sway  over  this  martial  and  dignified  and 
superior  sort  of  person,  the  widow's  sou.  Urbana 
fully  meant  that  his  eyes  should  be  opened  just  so  soon 
as  the  mother's  were  closed.  But  Urbana  found  that 
luck  was  dead  against  it.  The  widow  began  to  mend, 
— the  son  it  was  who  was  suddenly  prostrated  on  the 
eve  of  his  return  to  the  Point. 

Leaving  Almira  at  her  father's  door  one  night  after 
seeing  her  safely  home,  Davies  was  found  lying  in  the 
high-road,  senseless,  an  hour  later,  and  never,  said 
Urbana,  knew  what  hit  him.  Concussion  of  the  bmiu 
was  feared,  for  he  had  evidently  been  assaulted  in  the 
dark  from  behind  and  felled  to  earth  by  blows  of  some 

4 


38  UNDER  FIRE. 

heavy,  blunt  instrument.  Robbery  was  evidently  the 
motive,  for  his  little  store  of  money  and  the  beautiful 
and  costly  watch  presented  to  his  father  at  the  close  of 
the  war  were  gone.  Almira  had  two  patients  now,  and 
devotedly  she  attended  them.  When  in  a  fortnight 
Percy  declared  he  must  return,  and  did  return  to  pass 
his  midwinter  examination,  she  wore  at  last  an  engage 
ment  ring.  Urbana  did  not  know  that  he  had  offered 
— and  she  had  refused — freedom.  Urbana  did  not 
know  that  she  declared  she  loved  him  as  she  never  did 
before,  and  as  she  never  had  another.  Urbana  resented 
it  that  he  who  was  so  soon  to  occupy  the  exalted  station 
of  an  officer  of  the  regular  army,  and  the  princely 
salary  of  something  over  a  thousand  dollars  a  year 
"  with  all  expenses  paid/' — double  the  sum  enjoyed  by 
the  head  salesman  of  Miller  &  Crofts, — should  be  so 
utterly  deluded  as  to  the  frivolous  character  of  his  be 
trothed,  and  means  were  taken  to  enlighten  him. 
Anonymous  letters  came  to  Cadet  Davies  of  the  grad 
uating  class,  which  that  grave  and  reverend  senior 
committed,  not  to  memory,  but  to  flames.  Whatever 
she  had  been  before  his  visit  and  mishap,  Almira  was 
all  devotion  now.  In  May  he  wrote  to  her  gravely 
and  affectionately,  bidding  her  remember  that  he  always 
felt  that  she  had  been  pledged  to  him  when  too  young 
to  know  her  own  mind,  that  his  must  needs  be  a  life 
of  self-denial,  privation,  and  danger,  that  he  must  live 
with  the  utmost  economy  consistent  with  his  position 
as  an  officer,  because  his  mother's  comfort  must  be  a 
sacred  charge  so  long  as  she  lived,  and  that  it  might  be 
years  before  he  could  see  his  way  to  asking  any  woman 
to  come  and  share  his  lot.  All  this  he  had  conscien- 


UNDER   FIRE.  39 

tiously  explained  to  her  before,  and  she  had  met  it  with 
tears  and  reproaches.  She  could  help  him  live  econom 
ically.  They  could  sell  the  homestead  and  take  mother 
to  live  with  them.  She  would  welcome  the  day  when 
.she  could  leave  her  father's  roof,  now  no  longer  a  home 
to  her.  She  knew  it  must  be  that  he  was  tiring  of  her, 
—that  he  had  met  some  proud  lady  in  the  East,  and 
his  poor  little  village  maid  was  forgotten,  etc.  Now, 
in  answer  to  this  last  letter,  virtually  proffering  release 
if  she  so  desired,  her  response  was  vehement.  He 
would  kill  her  with  his  cruelty  and  coldness.  She  had 
no  hope  or  ambition  other  than  to  share  his  lot,  how 
ever  humble.  To  be  her  noble  soldier,  her  hero  Percy's 
bride,  would  be  her  heaven,  and  neither  gold  nor 
grandeur  nor  princely  mansion  could  tempt  her  from 
his  side,  and  she  would  welcome  the  grave  if  he  proved 
false  to  her.  It  was  all  the  high-flown,  emotional, 
melodramatic  trash  to  be  expected  of  an  ill-balanced 
girl  whose  pretty  head  was  stuffed  with  the  romance 
of  the  country  post-office  type,  and  Davies  sighed 
heavily  as  he  read. 

He  had  planned  to  visit  an  old  friend  of  his  father's 
and  see  something  of  New  York  harbor  and  city 
before  turning  his  back  on  the  East.  Never  yet  had 
he  set  foot  in  Gotham,  and  as  it  would  be  years  before 
opportunity  might  again  be  afforded  him,  he  had 
weighed  it  all  pro  and  con,  and  decided  that  Dr. 
Iverson's  advice  and  invitation  should  be  accepted. 
He  would  go  with  his  classmates,  spend  the  last  evening 
with  them,  and  join  the  reverend  doctor  on  the  morrow. 
His  mother,  even  in  her  invalided  state,  urged  that  he 
should  do  so,  but  Almira  heard  the  plan  with  fresh 


40  UNDER  FIRE, 

outburst  of  tears.  There  was  to  be  a  grand  picnic  of 
all  the  beaux  and  belles  of  Urbana  on  the  18th.  She 
had  counted  on  having  her  soldier  lover  in  attendance 
on  that  occasion.  She  had  told  him  of  it,  and  that  was 
enough.  She  had  declined  all  other  invitations,  saying 
that  Mr.  Davies  was  to  hasten  thither  the  moment  the 
graduating  exercises  were  over,  and  now  to  think  of  the 
triumph  and  malicious  delight  of  the  other  girls  was 
intolerable.  Her  lover  should  fly  to  her  like  homing- 
pigeon  the  instant  he  was  released  from  prison.  It 
was  tantamount  to  treason  that  he  should  purpose  any 
thing  else.  Almira  fretted  herself  into  a  fever.  She 
wrote  one  long  letter  to  the  recreant  Parson,  and  her 
sister  Beatrice,  as  they  called  her,  followed  it  up 
with  another  still  more  alarming.  Then,  as  he  did 
not  wire  instant  submission,  the  telegram  was  sent. 
Old  Quimby  was  on  the  platform  at  the  Urbana  station 
as  Davies  sprang  from  the  train.  "  Nothing  much," 
said  he,  in  response  to  the  young  man's  eager  inquiry. 
"  Some  dam  girl  nonsense  she  and  Bee  have  cooked  up 
between  them.  When  they  ain't  devilling  the  life  out 
of  their  step-mother  they're  worrying  somebody  else. 
Oh,  yes !  —  'course  the  doctor's  been  humbugging 
for  a  week, — too  glad  to  get  a  chance  of  shovin'  in  a 
bill." 

Davies  went  gravely  up  the  sunny  street  to  his 
mother's  home, — a  meeting  that  served  to  chase  away 
the  clouds,  and  then  an  hour  later  to  Almira's  bower. 
Bee  ushered  him  into  a  pretty  room  whose  windows 
were  overhung  with  honeysuckle  and  pink  chintz,  and 
there  in  a  great  old-fashioned  rocking-chair  reclined 
the  lovely  invalid,  who  greeted  him  with  outstretched 


UNDER  FIRE.  41 

arms  and  rapturous  cry,  and  who  was  sufficiently  re 
stored  to  exhibit  him  at  the  Sunday-school  picnic  as 
originally  planned.  So  far  as  she  was  concerned,  all 
went  blithely  as  a  marriage-bell  until  the  morning  of 
July  5,  when  there  came  the  fearful  news  of  the  mas 
sacre  of  General  Custer  and  his  troops  at  the  hands 
of  the  Sioux.  That  evening  the  city  papers  said  all 
officers  on  leave  were  hurrying  to  their  regiments, 
that  reinforcements  were  being  pushed  to  the  front, 
that  recruits  were  needed  at  once ;  and  the  next  day, 
followed  by  a  mother's  prayers  and  a  maiden's  unavail 
ing  protest,  Percy  Davies  was  gone.  Just  as  his  father 
did  in  ;61,  leaving  all  to  pursue  the  path  of  duty, 
the  young  soldier,  though  not  yet  commissioned,  sped 
to  the  nearest  army  post,  and  joined  the  first  command 
en  route  for  the  field. 


CHAPTER    III. 

IN  the  hot  July  sunshine,  up  the  long  vista  of  the 
street  the  flags  hung  drooping,  every  one,  with  a  single 
exception,  at  half  staff.  Over  the  building  where 
hearts  were  heaviest  the  colors  soared  highest;  the 
general  commanding,  until  ordered  from  Washington, 
being  debarred  a  manifestation  of  mourning  which  the 
sovereign  citizen  adopts  as  a  matter  of  course.  It  was 
bitter  disaster  that  had  befallen  the  national  arms  and 
involved  so  popular  a  commander  with  scores  of  his 
gallant  men ;  the  stars  and  stripes  that  had  been  saluted 
all  over  town  in  honor  of  the  ever-glorious  Fourth 


42  UNDER  FIRE 

were  now  set  at  mid-height  or  draped  with  black. 
The  crowds  that  had  gathered  about  the  newspaper 
offices  and  department  head-quarters  all  the  previous 
day  were  scattered,  in  the  conviction  that  little  re 
mained  to  be  told,  but  there  was  a  gathering  at  the 
railway  station  to  bid  adieu  to  the  battalion  of  infantry 
from  the  neighboring  fort,  leaving  by  special  train  for 
the  seat  of  war.  They  had  cheered  the  dusty  fatigue 
uniforms  as  the  cars  rolled  away,  and  many  a  young 
fellow  would  gladly  have  gone  with  the  boys  in  blue 
could  he  have  faced  the  social  ban  which  a  misguided 
public  has  established  against  its  most  loyal  servants, 
holding  enlistment  in  the  regular  army  as  virtual  ad 
mission  of  general  worthlessness.  And  now  the  crowds 
still  lingered  under  the  glass  roof  of  the  big  passenger 
shed,  for  word  had  gone  out  that  another  train  coming 
across  the  bridge  was  loaded  with  more  troops,  and 
there  was  a  fascination  in  watching  these  prospective 
victims  of  the  stake  and  scalping-knife.  It  had  been 
a  fierce  campaign  thus  far,  and  one  in  which  the  losses 
and  vicissitudes  both  (there  are  no  honors  to  speak  of) 
had  been  borne  principally  by  the  cavalry,  but  now 
the  "doughboys"  with  their  "long  toms"  were  being 
pushed  to  the  front.  "  Wait  till  Emma  Jane  gets  her 
eye  on  otild  Squattin'  Bull,"  said  an  Irish  private, 
patting  the  butt  of  his  rifle,  as  with  head  and  shoulders 
half-way  out  of  the  car  window  he  confidentially 
addressed  the  crowd.  "  It'll  be  the  last  spache  he'll 
ever  ax  to  hear." 

"That'll  do  there,  Moriarty ;  get  that  gun  inside," 
said  a  lieutenant,  briefly.  And  as  Moriarty  obeyed, 
with  a  grin  and  wink  at  the  throng,  the  laugh  and 


I'XDKR    FIRE.  43 

cheer  that  went  up  were  evidently  for  Private  Pat  and 
not  for  his  superior.  It  is  the  smiling  face,  not  official 
gravity,  that  wins  the  great  heart  of  the  people.  The 
band  which  had  headed  the  column  on  the  march  in  from 
the  post,  but  was  not  to  accompany  it  to  the  field,  was 
still  waiting  to  give  the  next  comers  a  fitting  "  send 
off."  Two  or  three  staff  officers  in  civilian  dress  stood 
in  earnest  talk  with  the  superintendent  of  the  railway, 
a  knot  of  curious  citizens  surrounding  them,  eager  to 
pick  up  any  point  with  reference  to  the  troops  or  their 
transportation.  Expectant  eyes  were  cast  towards  the 
east  where  the  towers  of  the  great  bridge  loomed  in 
the  shimmer  and  glare  of  the  hot  noontide.  "She 
ought  to  be  here  now,"  said  the  railway-man  with  an 
impatient  snap  of  his  watch-case.  "  What  keeps  No. 
5,  Gus?"  he  asked  of  an  assistant  hurrying  by. 

The  man  hauled  up  short  and  touched  his  hat.  "  This 
just  came  at  the  train-despatcher's  office,  sir,"  said  he, 
as  he  handed  up  a  slip  of  paper,  which  the  superin 
tendent  quickly  read,  a  queer  look  coming  into  his 
face  as  he  did  so. 

"  Hu-m-m,  gentlemen.  This  is  something  you'M 
have  to  straighten  out.  It  doesn't  seem  to  be  in  my 
line."  And  he  handed  the  paper  to  Major  Ludlum, 
chief  quartermaster  of  the  department,  who  in  turn 
read  it,  his  eyes  filling  with  grave  concern. 

"Recruits  on  No.  5  broke  loose  at  Bluff  Siding, — 
drunk — raiding  the  saloon.  Can't  get  'em  on  train 
again.  Can  guards  or  police  be  sent?"  It  was  signed 
by  the  conductor. 

"  Well,"  said  Ludlum,  disgustedly,  "  we  might  have 
known  that  would  happen.  The  idea  of  sending  three 


44  UNDER   FIRE. 

car-loads  of  raw  recruits  with  only  one  officer,  and 
that  one  old  Muffet.  It's  tempting  Providence." 

"Why,  I  thought  he  had  a  lieutenant  with  him. 
Somebody  said  so  at  the  office  this  morning/7  said  the 
department  engineer  officer. 

"  Not  even  a  lieutenant, — a  cadet,  if  you  like ;  gradu 
ated  not  a  month  ago, — not  yet  commissioned.  Some 
young  cub  just  out  of  school,  with  about  as  much  idea 
how  to  handle  drunken  recruits  as  I  have  of  dressing 
a  doll.  Home  on  graduating  leave  and  thought  it  his 
duty  to  volunteer  is  all  I  can  make  out  of  it." 

"  Well,  bully  for  him !"  spoke  up  the  superin 
tendent.  "The  boy's  got  the  right  stuff  in  him  if 
that's  the  case." 

"  What's  his  name  ?"  asked  the  engineer  officer.  "  I 
knew  most  of  this  year's  class  when  I  was  there  on  duty." 

"  Davies,"  said  the  quartermaster,  consulting  a  note 
book.  "Remember  him?" 

"  Why, — yes, — vaguely.  He  was  not  in  the  section 
I  had  charge  of,"  said  Captain  Eustis.  "  One  of  the 
last  men  to  attract  attention, — Parson  Davies  they  called 
him,  I  believe.  He  was  one  of  the  Bible-class.  Don't 
think  anybody  knew  him  outside  of  the  Sunday-school." 

"No  wonder  the  recruits  jumped  the  traces  with  no 
one  but  old  Muffet  and  a  parson,"  said  the  quarter 
master,  disdainfully.  "Now  the  question  is,  what's 
to  be  done?  Somebody's  got  to  go  over  and  pull 
them  out  of  the  hole." 

The  situation  was  indeed  serious.  Many  of  the 
commands  now  suddenly  ordered  to  take  the  field  were 
so  short  of  men  that,  after  the  manner  of  doing  things 
in  the  70's,  a  detachment  of  imdrilled  recruits,  one 


UNDER  FIRE  45 

hundred  and  eighty  strong,  was  hurriedly  tumbled 
aboard  the  cars  at  the  cavalry  depot  on  the  Missis 
sippi,  while  others  were  shipped  from  the  far  East  for 
the  Foot.  Only  one  officer — a  semi-invalided  old 
trooper — could  be  spared  from  Jefferson  Barracks  to 
accompany  the  batch.  There  was  no  time  to  wait,  and 
just  an  hour  before  the  detachment  started  there  ar 
rived  at  the  office  of  the  depot  commander  a  tall,  slim, 
solemn  young  man  in  brand-new  fatigue  uniform, — 
that  of  the  infantry, — who  introduced  himself  as  Mr. 
Davies  of  the  graduating  class,  who  said  he  was  not 
yet  assigned  to  a  regiment,  but  having  read  that  all 
officers  were  hastening  to  join  their  commands  before 
they  got  beyond  communication  in  the  Indian  country, 
thought  it  possible  that  he  might  be  assigned  to  some 
company  in  the  field  and  didn't  wish  to  be  left  behind. 
That  night  he  was  seeing  his  first  service.  Colonel 
Cooper,  the  post  commander,  shook  him  by  the  hand 
and  presented  him  to  old  Muffet,  who  was  in  a  devil 
of  a  stew  and  glad  of  professional  help,  and  then  wired 
on  ahead  to  the  general  commanding  across  the  Mis 
souri,  or  to  his  representatives  at  head-quarters, — he 
being  in  the  field.  All  went  well  enough  early  in  the 
night,  but,  towards  morning,  whiskey  had  been  smug 
gled  aboard  in  sufficient  quantity  to  start  the  devil  of 
mischief,  and  finally,  at  Bluff  Siding,  just  before  reach 
ing  the  Missouri  bridge,  overpowering  the  unarmed 
and  perhaps  sympathetic  sentries  at  the  car  doors,  and 
defying  the  orders  of  their  sergeants,  the  half-drunken 
crowd  swarmed  out  and  made  a  swoop  upon  a  saloon 
across  the  side-track.  In  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell 
it  every  cubic  foot  of  space  of  the  bar-room  was  packed 


46  UNDER  FIRE. 

with  rioting  humanity  in  grimy  blue  flannel.  The 
proprietor,  who  had  stood  his  ground  at  the  instant 
of  initial  impact,  was  now  doubled  up  underneath  the 
counter;  his  shrieking  family — Hibernians  all,  and 
somewhat  used  to  war's  alarms,  though  hardly  to  the 
sight  of  raiding  boys  in  blue — had  taken  refuge  in  the 
privacy  of  their  own  apartments  above  and  behind  the 
saloon  itself,  while  within  the  reeking  establishment 
pandemonium  had  broken  loose.  Bottles,  glasses,  and 
raw  liquor  were  liberally  besprinkling  the  heads  and 
shoulders  of  the  surging  throng.  A  brawny  Irishman, 
mad  with  the  joy  of  unlimited  riot  and  whiskey,  was 
on  top  of  the  counter  impartially  cracking  the  heads 
of  all  men  within  reach  with  the  blows  of  a  big  wooden 
bung-starter.  Four  or  five  who  had  found  the  trap 
door  leading  presumably  to  the  supplies  in  the  cellar 
were  furiously  fighting  back  the  crowd  so  as  to  admit 
of  their  raising  it  and  forcing  a  passage  down  the 
wooden  flight.  Poor  Muffet,  vainly  pleading  and 
swearing,  was  scouting  on  the  outskirts  of  the  crowd 
about  the  door-way,  occasionally  turning  and  shrieking 
orders  to  some  bewildered  lance  sergeant  to  find  the 
lieutenant  and  tell  him  he  must  get  in  there  and  do 
something,  but  the  lieutenant  was  nowhere  to  be  seen. 
At  a  respectful  distance  the  neighbors  were  looking 
curiously  on,  half  a  dozen  roustabouts  from  the  wharf- 
boat  moored  under  the  bank,  a  little  batch  of  railway 
employes,  a  number  of  slatternly  women,  not  entirely 
unsympathetic,  and  perhaps  half  a  dozen  hands  from 
a  neighboring  saw-mill,  but  all  these,  combined  with 
the  townsfolk  hurrying  to  the  scene,  would  have  been 
powerless  as  opposed  to  the  sixscore  drink-maddened 


UNDER   FIRE.  47 

"  toughs."  Of  the  recruits,  perhaps  a  dozen  had  re 
mained  in  the  cars ;  of  their  non-commissioned  officers, 
perhaps  half  a  dozen  were  trying  to  do  something,  but 
having  no  directing  head  or  hand,  accomplishing  little. 
It  looked  as  though  nothing  but  the  bursting  asunder 
of  that  ramshackle  building:  would  liberate  its  human 

O 

charge,  for  even  those  who,  battered,  bleeding,  and 
suffocated,  would'  gladly  have  escaped  into  outer  air, 
were  packed  in,  sardine-like,  and  incapable  of  self- 
extrication.  To  the  appeal  of  the  conductor  that  he 
should  regain  control  of  his  men  and  prevent  destruc 
tion  of  property,  the  luckless  Muffet  plaintively  re 
sponded,  "  My  God,  what  can  I  do?  I've  done  my 
best,  and  nobody  else  has  done  anything.  The  only 
officer  I've  got  has  deserted  inc." 

But  even  as  he  spoke,  accompanied  by  a  jutting  and 
hissing  and  spraying,  by  outburst  of  yells,  jeers,  maud 
lin  laughter,  there  came  sudden  vomiting  forth  of 
drenched  and  dripping  forms.  Over  the  heads  of  the 
throng  within,  into  the  hot  faces  of  the  throng  without 
the  double  door,  hurling  them  back  from  the  battered 
entrance  in  sudden  panic,  a  powerful  stream  of  cold 
water,  shooting  from  unseen  nozzle,  broke  up  and  de 
moralized  the  drunken  barrier.  Skilfully  directed 
into  the  heart  of  the  crowd  at  the  door-way,  then  into 
the  ruck  and  tumult  within,  it  first  cleared  a  passage, 
then,  torrent-like,  swept  away  into  it,  tumbling  and 
swearing  and  cursing,  but  going,  the  last  able-bodied 
invader  of  saloon  sanctity,  bestowing  upon  its  foul 
interior  the  first  thorough  washing  it  ever  received, 
driving  the  despoilers  before  it  with  the  force  of  a 
battering-ram,  yet  even  then,  unsatisfied,  following  up 


48  UNDER  FIRE. 

its  victory.  With  perhaps  half  a  dozen  soldiers  and 
as  many  mill-hands  hauling  on  the  slack  of  the  hose 
behind  him,  through  a  north  window  came  the  tall, 
slender,  serious-faced  person  of  Mr.  Davies,  a  laughing 
young  lance  corporal  manning  the  butt  with  him,  and, 
aiming  low  and  driving  discipline  and  punishment  at 
the  rate  of  a  gallon  a  second,  a  posteriori,  at  the  now 
drenched  and  scattering  mob,  and  shouting,  "  Back  to 
the  train !  Back  to  your  seats !"  never  did  they 
cease  their  deluge  until  the  last  laggard  capable  of 
locomotion  took  shelter  within  the  cars.  Muff'et,  re 
coiling  in  time  to  escape  both  rush  of  men  and  muddy 
water,  stood  shouting  confirmatory  orders  from  the 
platform  the  while.  Many  a  mob  will  face  the  shock 
of  charging  steel  and  hissing  lead  that  melts  away 
before  ridicule  and  squirted  water.  The  emeute  was 
ended  long  before  the  police  arrived,  and  Muffet  had 
regained  some  measure  of  his  accustomed  presence  of 
mind.  "Oh,  we  simply  manned  the  saw-mill  hose/7 
said  he,  in  complacent  acknowledgment  of  the  con 
gratulation  of  the  staff  officials  first  to  meet  him.  "It 
didn't  take  long  to  souse  them  to  their  sober  senses." 

Indeed,  the  three  car-loads  of  dripping  and  be 
draggled  humanity,  meekly  side-tracked  under  the 
guarding  bayonets  of  the  one  company  of  infantry 
left  at  the  fort,  found  not  a  sympathetic  eye  among  the 
lookers-on.  An  ambulance  had  carted  off  to  the 
hospital  four  or  five,  whose  battered  skulls  bore  wit 
ness  to  the  hammering  powers  of  big  Milligan  and  his 
bung-starter.  That  redoubtable  giant  himself,  weak 
from  the  shock  of  having  involuntarily  gulped  more 
water  in  a  second  than  ever  before  he  had  swallowed 


UNDER  FIRE.  49 

in  weeks,  was  flattened  out  in  a  baggage-car.  Two 
more  of  the  arriving  reinforcements  failed  to  appear 
to  the  public  eye  at  the  scene  of  congratulation,  and, 
as  sometimes  happens  in  even  so  well  regulated  a 
family  as  our  little  army,  these  were  the  two  who  most 
deserved  any  honors  that  were  being  bestowed, — Mr. 
Davies  and  his  assistant  pipemau. 

Just  as  the  last  prostrate  victim  of  that  powerful 
combination — rum  and  riot — had  performed  the  frog's 
march  to  the  baggage-car,  the  raving  saloon-keeper 
had  been  instructed  to  send  his  bill  of  damages  to  the 
chief  quartermaster  across  the  bridge,  the  conductor 
had  signalled  "  Go  ahead,"  and  the  young  officer,  rue 
fully  scanning  the  wreck  of  his  new  fatigue  uniform, 
was  clambering  on  the  platform  of  the  sleeper,  when 
he  saw  that  the  blood  was  dripping  from  the  corporal's 
hand,  despite  the  big  handkerchief  wrapped  about  it. 

"  Come  in  here,  corporal,"  said  he.  "  Let  me  look 
at  that.  How  did  it  happen  ?"  And  he  led  the  way 
into  the  men's  toilet-room  of  the  sleeper. 

"  I  must  have  cut  it  with  some  of  that  broken  glass 
at  the  window,"  was  the  answer. 

He  was  paling  now,  drooping  evidently  from  loss 
of  blood.  Quickly  Mr.  Davies  unrolled  the  bandage, 
and  there,  beside  a  little  jagged  gash,  disclosed  a  deep 
cut  from  which  the  blood  was  oozing.  '*  Why,  man," 
said  he,  "  that's  as  clean  as  though  done  with  a  razor. 
Did  any  one  try  to  knife  you  ?" 

But  the  soldier  made  no  answer.     He  sank  limp 
upon  a  seat.     Two  civilian  travellers,  in  prompt  sym 
pathy,  tendered   flasks,  and   a   stiff  cup   of    brandy 
brought  back  some  vestige  of  the  flitting  color.     Then 
c       d  5 


50  UNDER  FIRE. 

a  young  lady  came  forward  from  the  interior  of  the 
car.  "  Please  let  me  help  you,"  she  said.  "  My  father 
was  a  surgeon  and  I  know  something  about  these 
wounds/7  Davies  gratefully  gave  way  to  her,  and 
found  himself  watching  the  swift,  skilful  touch  of  her 
slender  white  hands  as  she  bent  over  the  work.  It  was 
finished  in  a  minute,  and  then  with  calm  decision  the 
girl  spoke  again.  "  I  will  take  him  back  to  our  sec 
tion.  He  needs  quiet  for  a  while,"  said  she,  standing 
erect  now  and  addressing  herself  to  Mr.  Davies,  and 
rather  pointedly  ignoring  the  younger  civilian,  whose 
interjected  remarks  fell  upon  ears  that  were  dainty  but 
deaf.  "  I  am  with  Mrs.  Cranston,"  said  she,  "  whose 
husband  is  among  the  wounded.  Do  you  know  him  ? 
— Captain  Cranston?" 

"  Only  by  reputation,"  answered  Davies,  raising  his 
cap.  "  You  are  very  good  to  our  men.  Go  with  this 
young  lady,  corporal.  I'll  come  as  soon  as  I  can  wash 
my  hands." 

Hardly  waiting,  however,  for  his  reply,  the  girl  had 
passed  her  hand  underneath  the  soldier's  arm  and  led 
him  rearwards  as  the  train  slowly  rounded  the  long 
curve  to  the  bridge  embankment.  Davies  slipped  out 
of  his  sack  coat  and  plunged  his  hands  in  the  basin. 
"Would  you  mind  pumping  for  me?"  he  said  to  the 
nearest  civilian,  who  with  his  companion  stood  gazing 
admiringly  after  the  girl.  u  My  hands  are  covered 
with  that  poor  fellow's  blood." 

"  Certainly,"  was  the  prompt  answer,  as  one  of  them 
grasped  the  nickel-plated  lever.  The  other  and  younger 
man  turned  to  the  ice-water  tank,  rinsed  the  tumbler 
that  had  just  been  used  to  such  good  purpose,  poured 


UNDER  FIRE.  51 

out  another  stiff  load  of  spirits,  and  with  confident 
kindliness  held  it  out  to  the  young  officer. 

"  Thank  you,"  said  Davies,  shaking  his  head,  "  I 
never  use  it." 

"  You  don't  ?"  was  the  surprised  answer.  "  Why,  I 
thought  all  army  officers  drank." 

"  That  seems  to  be  the  general  idea,"  was  the  quiet 
answer.  "  Much  more  general  than  the  practice,  I 
hope.  Thank  you,"  he  continued,  as,  drying  his  hands, 
he  quickly  donned  his  coat  and  went  on  through  the 
car.  They  watched  him  a  moment  as  he  was  presented 
to  the  elder  of  the  two  ladies,  one  whose  face,  though 
still  young,  bore  traces  of  grief  and  tears  and  anxiety. 
They  saw  her  look  up  and  clasp  his  proffered  hand, 
evidently  glad  to  meet  one  of  her  husband's  cloth. 

"  Now,  if  I'd  only  known  about  her  husband's  being 
one  of  the  wounded,  I  could  have  rung  in  there  all 
right,"  said  the  younger  of  the  two  travellers.  "I 
haven't  seen  a  prettier  girl  in  all  my  wanderings, — but 
she  stood  me  off  even  on  a  dodge  I  never  knew  to 
fail." 

"  You  were  too  transparent,  so  to  speak,  Willett," 
said  the  elder.  "  She  couldn't  help  seeing  you  were 
trying  to  scrape  acquaintance.  All  young  girls  don't 
take  to  frivolity  any  more  than  all  officers  to  whiskey." 

Willett,  nettled  at  this  palpable  hit,  spoke  resent 
fully.  "  Oh,  I  dare  say  they'd  make  a  good  team, — 
one's  a  prude  and  the  other  a  prig." 

"Perhaps  not  a  very  bad  team,  as  you  put  it,  my 
boy,"  was  the  answer,  as  the  elder  thoughtfully  re 
garded  the  two  now  in  earnest  conversation.  "  But  a 
girl  who  won't  flirt  isn't  necessarily  a  prude,  nor  a  man 


52  UNDER  FIRE. 

who  won't  drink  a  prig.  If  I  were  marrying  again, 
I  should  be  glad  of  a  girl  like  that  for  a  wife.  If  I 
were  soldiering  again,  I'd  like  that  boy  for  a  sub." 

And  just  before  leaving  the  train  on  its  arrival  at 
the  Omaha  station  the  speaker  went  to  Davies  and 
held  out  his  hand.  "  Lieutenant,"  said  he,  "my  name 
is  Langston.  I  met  and  knew  a  number  of  West 
Pointers  during  the  war,  and  I  am  glad  to  have  met 
you.  If  ever  I  can  be  of  service  to  you  in  my  way, 
— and  my  duties  carry  me  out  here  on  the  frontier  very 
often, — let  me  know." 

Never  dreaming  how  it  might  be  needed,  Davies 
accepted  the  proffer  of  services  with  all  that  the  proffer 
implied. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

GUARDED  by  a  detachment  of  veteran  infantry,  the 
recruits  so  turbulent  at  noon  were  spiritless  now  in 
every  sense  of  the  word.  Turning  over  his  charge,  as 
well  as  his  account  of  their  conduct  and  of  his  own,  to 
the  commander  of  the  escort,  Captain  Muffet  remained 
at  department  head-quarters  long  enough  to  impress  the 
officials  thereat  on  duty  with  his  version  of  the  riot  at 
Bluff  Siding, — its  inciting  cause  and  its  incisive  cure. 
Then  he  went  back  to  the  cavalry  depot  and  pre 
sumably  improved  on  his  initial  effort.  The  story  of 
Muffet's  wild  ride  with  the  raw  recruits  and  Muffet's 
method  of  quelling  a  mob  was  often  told  that  summer 
at  the  rear  long  after  Lieutenant  Davies  and  the  re- 


UNDER  FIRE.  53 

emits  in  question  had  gone  to  the  front  and  were  lost 
to  all  communication.  The  officer  who  went  in  com 
mand  from  Omaha  was  an  expert.  He  established  a 
sergeant's  guard  in  each  recruit  car,  with  orders  to 
flatten  out  the  first  man  who  left  his  seat,  rap  every 
head  that  showed  outside  a  window  when  the  train 
stopped,  and  so  turned  over  the  one  hundred  and 
seventy-two  that  were  turned  over  to  him  a  sick  and 
subdued  lot  by  the  time  they  reached  Fort  Sanders  the 
following  afternoon.  "This  is  Mr.  Davies, — Lieu 
tenant  Da  vies, — -just  graduated, — who's  to  go  on  with 
'em,"  said  he  to  the  commanding  officer  of  that  old 
army  post,  adding  for  his  private  ear,  "He's  a  tender 
foot  and  doesn't  know  anything  but  moral  suasion." 
To  this  conclusion  Captain  Tibbetts  has  been  impelled 
by  what  he  had  heard  as  well  as  by  the  events  of  the 
night.  Mr.  Davies,  of  whom  he  knew  nothing  except 
what  Muffet  had  to  say,  having  been  told  that  he 
needn't  bother  about  the  men  any  more,  had  neverthe 
less  bothered  about  them,  three  or  four  at  least,  very 
much, — Lance  Corporal  Brannan  to  begin  with,  who 
was  slashed  in  the  hand,  and  a  couple  of  sorely  bat 
tered  penitents  in  the  middle  car  among  them.  No 
surgeon  being  with  the  detachment,  Davies  had  begged 
permission  towards  evening  to  fetch  these  poor  fellows 
back  to  the  sleeper,  where  their  hurts  could  be  cleaned 
and  bandaged.  Tibbetts  said  no,  and  two  hours  later 
yes.  Meantime  he  had  met  the  ladies,  one  of  whom, 
the  elder,  exhausted  by  the  sleeplessness  and  anxiety 
of  forty-eight  hours,  was  comforted  by  the  despatch 
brought  her  at  Omaha  to  the  effect  that  her  husband 
was  being  sent  in  by  easy  stages  to  Fort  Fetterman, 

5* 


54  UNDER   FIRE. 

where  she  could  meet  and  nurse  him,  and  she  was  now 
finally  and  peacefully  sleeping  in  her  berth.  The 
other,  a  slender,  graceful  girl,  with  very  soft  dark  eyes 
and  grave,  sweet,  mobile  face,  who  sat  and  fanned 
Mrs.  Cranston  during  the  heat  of  the  afternoon,  had 
next  surprised  the  captain  by  re-dressing  the  ugly 
wound  in  the  young  corporal's  hand.  Tibbetts  knew 
Captain  Cranston  well  by  reputation.  He  was  one  of 
the  finest  troop  commanders  of  the  cavalry  arm,  but 
Tibbetts  had  never  before  met  Mrs.  Cranston  and  her 
companion  now  consigned  to  his  care. 

"  You  are  well  taught  in  first  aid  to  the  wounded," 
he  said.  "  Where  did  you  learn  ?" 

"My  father  was  Dr.  Loomis,  of  the  army,"  she 
answered,  simply.  "  He  taught  me  when  I  was  quite 
a  child.  He  died,  as  I  think  perhaps  you  know." 

"  We  all  knew  him,  Miss  Loomis,"  was  the  instant 
reply.  "  Even  those  who  never  met  him,  personally, 
knew  him  as  I  did, — for  his  devotion  to  our  poor 
fellows  in  the  fever  epidemic.  And  your  mother?" 

"  Mother  has  been  dead  for  years.  I  am  alone  now, 
but  for  my  cousin  Margaret, — Mrs.  Cranston.  I  am 
her  companion." 

And  the  captain,  himself  aging  in  the  service,  and 
with  daughters  who  might  be  left  as  was  this  girl, — 
penniless, — understood,  and  bowed  in  silent  sympathy. 
It  was  the  sight  of  the  gash  in  Brannan's  fist  that 
called  him  back  to  the  business  before  him. 

"How  did  you  get  that?"  he  asked,  with  profes 
sional  brevity,  little  liking  it — soldier  bred  as  he  was 
— that  one  of  the  new  flock  should  thus  be  parcelled  out 
from  his  fellows  and  transported  in  a  Pullman. 


UNDER  FIRE.  55 

"Climbing  through  the  window  of  the  saloon  I — 
cut  it,  sir,"  was  the  answer. 

"Yes — there  perhaps/'  said  Tibbetts,  indicating  the 
smaller  gash,  "  but  this  one, — clean  cut  like  a  knife. 
Whose  knife?" 

Whereat  Brannan  looked  confused  and  troubled. 
"  I  don't  know,  sir,"  he  finally  said. 

"  I  believe  you  do  know,  and  that  you  got  it  in  that 
saloon  row.  A  pretty  thing  for  a  man  like  you  to  be 
mixed  in." 

Whereat  Brannan  reddened  still  more,  and  looked 
as  though  he  wanted  to  speak  yet  feared  to  say.  It 
was  Miss  Loornis  who  promptly  took  the  word. 

"  Indeed,  captain,  you  don't  understand.  He  was 
ordered  in.  He  was  handling  the  hose  pipe — the  very 
first — with  Mr.  Davies."  And  here  she  turned  as 
though  to  seek  the  other  pipeman,  while  Tibbetts 
effusively — impulsively — began  to  make  amends. 

« Well— well— well,"  said  he.  "That's  a  totally 
different  matter.  You  got  your  wound  in  a  good 
cause,  sir,  and  if  I  could  find  out  who  tried  to  knife 
you,  he'd  repent  it  this  night.  Are  you  sure  you  don't 
know?" 

"  I  don't  think  anybody  tried  to  cut  me,  sir,"  was 
the  answer,  after  a  pause. 

"  Didn't  you  see  anybody  with  a  knife?" 

But  this  Brannan  wouldn't  answer,  and  the  captain, 
after  a  moment's  thought,  went  lurching  through  the 
grimy,  swaying  cars,  hunted  up  the  two  damaged 
recruits  and  gruffly  bade  them  follow  him.  Davies 
looked  up  gratefully  as  they  entered  the  sleeping-car, 
but  the  captain  did  not  notice  him.  "  I  have  recon- 


56  UNDER   FIRE. 

sidered,"  said  he,  "  and  brought  these  patients  to  you, 
Miss  Loomis,"  then  turned  abruptly  away.  It  was 
the  subaltern  who  aided,  and  then  who  thanked  the 
skilful,  light-handed  nurse,  for  the  poor  fellows  seemed 
both  abashed  and  humbled.  One  of  them,  looking 
furtively  about,  had  caught  sight  of  Brannan,  sitting 
alone  in  a  section  with  his  bandaged  hand.  Quick 
glance  of  recognition  was  exchanged.  There  was  an 
instant  of  question  in  the  new-comer's  eye.  It  was 
answered  by  the  corporal,  who  raised  two  fingers  to  his 
compressed  lips  one  second,  then  let  them  fall.  But 
Da  vies  saw, — saw  also  that  when  told  by  the  captain 
they  might  remain  there  in  the  roomier,  cooler  sleeper 
for  a  time,  the  younger  and  more  intelligent-looking 
of  the  two  dropped  into  the  seat  by  Brannan's  side. 
They  chatted  in  low  tone  together,  as  the  night  came 
on,  their  lips  moving  and  their  ears  attent  even  though 
their  heads  were  turned  apart, — communing  as  men 
commune  who  do  not  wish  to  be  thought  in  conversa 
tion. 

"  We  shall  have  supper  at  Grand  Island,"  said  the 
captain,  presently,  "  and  coffee  will  be  sent  through  the 
cars  for  the  men.  If  you  will  escort  Mrs.  Cranston 
and  Miss  Loomis,  Mr.  Davies,  my  sergeants  will  look 
after  the  command."  And  Mr.  Davies  being  subordi 
nate  and  just  out  of  four  years'  training  in  which  no 
man  may  hesitate  to  do  just  as  a  superior  may  bid, 
obeyed  his  instructions,  not  unwilling,  even  though 
smarting  under  vague  sense  of  being  given  to  under 
stand  he  was  of  no  military  use. 

Re-entering  the  car,  refreshed  after  a  hearty  supper, 
and  seeing  his  fair  charges  to  their  section,  Mr.  Davies 


UNDER   FIRE.  57 

caught  sight  of  his  invalids  still  seated  where  he  had 
left  them,  and  looking  weak  and  hungry. 

"  Did  they  bring  you  no  coffee  ?  Have  you  had  no 
supper?'7  he  asked.  And,  as  a  shake  of  the  head  was 
sole  answer,  he  sallied  forth.  Appealing  to  the  ser 
geant  in  charge  of  the  distribution  of  the  cooked 
rations,  he  was  favored  with  the  brief  reply,  "  The 
captain  didn't  give  me  no  orders."  Moreover,  there 
didn't  seem  to  be  anything  left.  The  captain  was  still 
leisurely  finishing  his  own  supper,  after  having  got  the 
coffee  started  on  the  train.  The  huge  caldrons  used 
for  the  purpose  were  already  being  lifted  off  the  cars, 
empty.  Every  drop  had  been  spilled  or  swallowed  by 
the  hungry  and  thirsty  crowd.  With  quick  decision 
Davies  stepped  to  the  lunch -counter,  loaded  up  with 
huge  frontier  sandwiches,  doughnuts,  and  hard-boiled 
eggs,  and  bade  the  manager  draw  a  jug  full  of  coffee 
and  get  it,  with  some  cups,  milk,  and  sugar,  on  the 
sleeper  at  once.  He  came  forth  laden,  the  Pullman 
porter  with  him,  as  the  conductor  was  trolling,  "  All 
aboard."  Down  the  platform  he  went  with  the  eyes 
of  half  the  blue  coats  on  the  cars  upon  him,  and  sol 
diers  refreshed  by  food  and  coffee  are  in  more  receptive 
mood  than  when  dejected  by  hunger.  Some  men  in 
the  third  car  who  had  heard  his  eager  queries  of  the 
commissary  sergeant  knew  for  whom  those  supplies 
were  meant,  others  did  not,  and  of  these  latter  one 
jocular  and  untutored  Patlander  sang  out,  "  Bully  for 
the  leftenint ;  'tis  he  that  knows  how  to  look  out  for 
number  wan."  Whereat  there  came  furious  shouts 
of  "  Shame  !"  "  Shut  up  !"  and  inelegant  and  oppro 
brious  epithets,  all  at  the  expense  of  the  impetuous  son 


58  UNDER   FIRE 

of  Erin  who  had  spoken  too  soon.  Some  one  whacked 
his  empty  head  with  an  equally  empty  canteeD  and 
called  him  a  Yap.  Some  one  else,  farther  back,  sang 
out,  "  Three  cheers  for  the  lieutenant,"  and  stentorian 
authority  in  chevrons  bellowed  u  Silence  there,  fore 
and  aft !"  and  then,  when  instant  hush  and  awe  re 
warded  the  mandate,  followed  up  the  order  with  the 
military  Milesianism,  "  Youse  fellers  wants  to  keep  your 
mouths  shut  barrin'  you're  atin' ."  The  wounded  in 
the  Pullman  ate  and  drank  gratefully  and  heartily  at 
the  lieutenant's  expense,  and  these  are  matters  the  rank 
and  file  remember.  Lance  Corporal  Brannan,  made 
comfortable  for  the  night  in  the  sleeper,  had  a  few 
murmured  words  with  the  dark-eyed  and  more  intelli 
gent-looking  of  the  two  recruits  before  they  were  re 
manded  to  their  own  car  for  the  night,  where  they 
went,  and,  after  the  manner  of  their  kind,  one  of  them 
bragged  not  a  little  over  the  bully  supper  they  had  had 
with  the  lieutenant.  "  Enjoy  it  while  you  can,  me 
bucks,"  was  the  caustic  comment  of  a  fellow-recruit 
who  had  all  the  ear-marks  and  none  of  the  credentials 
of  previous  service  about  him.  "  It's  the  last  of  that 
sort  of  hobnobbing  you'll  ever  see." 

For  upwards  of  an  hour  during  the  night,  while 
Mrs.  Cranston  lay  peacefully  sleeping,  Mr.  Da  vies  and 
Miss  Loomis  sat  in  conversation  in  the  opposite  section. 
Tibbetts,  who  would  fain  have  enjoyed  such  a  privi 
lege,  found  no  opportunity.  Somewhere  towards  ten 
o'clock  he  came  quickly  in.  Davies  read  official  matter 
in  the  captain's  manner  as  he  approached  the  section, 
and  rising,  stood  attention,  cadet-like,  when  addressed. 

"Mr.  Davies,  while    I    think   everything  will   go 


UNDER   FIRE.  59 

quietly  with  those  fellows  from  this  on,  I  wish  to  take 
all  necessary  precautions.  I  will  divide  the  night  with 
you.  After  two  o'clock  I  wish  you  to  go  through  the 
cars  once  every  two  hours  and  see  that  the  recruits  are 
quiet  and  the  guard  alert,  also  to  step  outside  to  the 
platform  when  we  stop  at  stations.  Better  turn  in 
now  and  get  what  sleep  you  can." 

But  though  promptly  at  two  o'clock  the  young 
officer  aroused  the  captain,  who  was  dozing  in  the 
smoking-room,  he  himself  had  had  little  sleep.  The 
events  of  the  day,  the  novelty  of  his  position,  the  de 
sire  to  see  something  of  the  strange,  half-settled  land 
so  recently  the  roaming-ground  of  Indian  and  buffalo 
through  which  they  were  steadily  rolling,  and  which 
lay  outspread,  weird  and  ghostly,  in  the  summer  moon 
light, — these  and  thoughts  of  home  and  the  rapidly 
nearing  possibilities  of  frontier  warfare,  all  combined 
to  make  him  wakeful.  He  was  only  getting  sleepy 
when  he  should  have  been  wide  awake.  Captain  Tib- 
betts  was  an  old  campaigner  and  awoke  from  his  doze 
with  a  start,  shook  himself  together,  and  said  he'd  take 
a  turn  through  the  car  before  undressing  for  the  night. 
In  a  moment  or  two  he  returned,  the  first  sergeant  with 
him,  and  this  faithful  old  soldier  was  rewarded  by  a 
long  pull  from  the  captain's  canteen  before  returning 
to  the  recruit  car. 

i:  Do  you  know  anything  about  that  young  fellow, 
— ever  meet  him  before?"  said  Tibbetts,  indicating 
with  a  nod  the  recruit  corporal,  who,  with  a  pillow 
under  his  head  and  his  feet  on  the  opposite  seat,  was 
now  curled  up  in  slumber. 

"  No,  sir,"  answered  Da  vies. 


60  UNDER  FIRE. 

"Well,  he's  a  man  of  good  education  and  family,  if 
I'm  not  mistaken.  I'm  told  he's  been  on  duty  as  clerk 
at  the  depot,  and  'twas  he  who  made  out  the  rolls.  It 
will  be  long  before  he  can  write  again.  Better  leave 
him  at  Sanders."  As  he  spoke  the  captain  was  hold 
ing  out  the  well-filled  flask  in  one  hand,  the  cup  in 
the  other.  Davies  took  neither.  "  Won't  you  have  a 
nip  ?"  asked  the  senior.  "  It'll  help  you  to  keep  awake." 

"Thank  you,  sir,  I  never  have,  and  don't  care  to 
begin." 

Tibbetts  began  screwing  on  the  cap,  looking  his  man 
over  as  he  did  so. 

"  I  believe  you're  right,"  said  he,  "  and  if  I  were  to 
begin  over  again  I'd  do  the  same.  But  we  were  all 
taught  the  other  way  fifteen  years  ago."  He  paused 
as  though  he  half  wanted  to  say  more,  but  finally 
turned  away  and  disappeared  in  his  section. 

Obedient  to  his  instructions,  Davies  made  frequent 
tours  through  the  cars,  and  scouted  the  outside  of  the 
train  at  every  stop.  The  night  passed,  however,  in 
perfect  peace.  The  dawn  came  hours  before  the  train 
was  due  at  Sidney,  where  coif ee  was  again  to  be  served. 
Only  one  incident  occurred  to  give  him  food  for  new 
thought.  Towards  four  o'clock  he  returned  to  the 
sleeper  after  an  absence  of  some  ten  minutes,  just  as 
the  train  pulled  slowly  away  from  one  of  those  little 
prairie  stations,  and  as  he  entered  the  dimly-lighted 
aisle  he  saw  that  Brannan  was  not  in  his  place.  Stand 
ing  at  Mrs.  Cranston's  section  farther  on,  a  little  phial 
and  medicine-glass  in  her  hand,  her  dark  hair  falling 
in  heavy  braids  down  her  back,  attired  in  a  loose, 
warm  wrapper,  was  Miss  Loornis,  calm,  yet  evidently 


UNDER   FIRE.  61 

anxious.     Beyond  her  hovered  Brannan,  holding  the 
captain's  flask. 

"  What  is  it  ?"  asked  Davies.     "  Can  I  be  of  assist 


ance 


99) 


"  Mrs.  Cranston  woke  up  in  some  pain,"  was  the 
answer.  u  I  know  just  what  to  do  for  her.  Thank 
you,  corporal,  I  believe  we  won't  need  the  flask. — He 
thought  I  needed  it,"  said  she,  turning  to  Davies. 
And  Braunan,  going  to  the  captain's  section,  slipped 
his  prize  back  into  the  little  russet  leather  satchel  and 
shoved  it  underneath  the  berth.  Davies  looked  at  him 
in  some  surprise,  but  made  no  comment. 

"  I  am  sorry  I  was  not  here  to  help  you,"  said  he. 
"  Did  you  have  to  wake  him, — Brannan  ?" 

"  He  was  awake.  A  soldier  was  in  here  speaking 
with  him  when  I  heard  Mrs.  Cranston,  just  after  we 
stopped  at  the  last  station.  We  were  there  several 
minutes,  were  we  not?" 

"  Yes,  taking  on  water ;  but  Captain  Tibbetts  gave 
orders  that  no  man  should  leave  his  car.  Who  was  the 
man  who  came  in  here,  corporal  ?"  asked  he  of  Brannan. 

"  I — I  couldn't  give  his  name,  sir,"  was  the  answer, 
in  evident  embarrassment.  "He  came  in  just  the 
minute  the  lieutenant  got  off  at  the  station.  He  was 
only  in  here  a  few  seconds,  sir." 

"  What  did  he  want  ?"  asked  Davies. 

"  He — wanted  something  of  the  captain,  sir,  but  I 
told  him  the  captain  was  asleep." 

Davies  hastened  through  the  passage  and  across  the 
jolting  platform  to  the  next  car  ahead. 

"  Sergeant,"  said  he,  "  what  man  went  through  here 
into  the  sleeper  when  we  stopped  last  station  ?" 

6 


62  UNDER  FIRE. 

"  No  man,  sir,"  said  the  non-commissioned  officer, 
stoutly. 

"  But  there  must  have  been — or  no,  perhaps  he  could 
have  run  along  the  left  side  of  the  train  from  a  for 
ward  car  and  jumped  on  the  platform.  I  didn't  think 
of  that.  Did  you  see  or  hear  no  one  ?" 

"  I  heard  some  one  on  the  platform  of  the  sleeper, 
sir,  but  I  thought  it  was  the  lieutenant." 

Going  forward  Davies  met  with  no  better  success. 
The  guard  at  each  door  was  positive  no  man  had  gone 
out.  Then,  unless  there  were  collusion  on  the  part  of 
the  sentries,  he  must  have  slipped  through  some  win 
dow,  said  Davies  to  himself.  Miss  Loomis  was  still 
up  and  rearranging  Mrs.  Cranston's  pillows  when  he 
returned. 

"  Did  you  ascertain  anything  ?"  she  asked. 

"  Nothing.  They  all  deny  any  knowledge  of  such 
a  thing." 

"Do  you  know,  I  thought  there  was  something 
strange  about  it.  The  man  seemed  hurried  and  ex 
cited,  talked  low  and  fast,  and  when  Brannan  refused 
or  seemed  to  refuse  what  was  asked,  I  heard  him  say, 
i  Well,  you'll  be  a  sorry  man  if  you  don't.' ' 

But  of  this  threat  Brannan  denied  all  knowledge 
whatsoever.  Davies,  feeling  sure  that  the  young  soldier 
was  concealing  something,  decided  to  ask  no  more  ques 
tions  inviting  more  lies,  but  to  wait  and  report  the 
affair  to  the  captain  after  breakfast.  This  time  the 
sergeants  did  not  overlook  the  lance  corporal  in  the 
distribution  of  coffee  and  rations.  Davies  found  that 
Miss  Loomis  had  just  finished  dressing  and  bandaging 
the  wound  when  he  returned  to  the  sleeper  shortly 


UNDER  FIRE.  63 

after  they  resumed  the  journey.  The  soldier  looked 
gratefully  into  her  face  as  he  turned  away,  and  mur 
mured  something  the  young  officer  could  not  hear. 
"  Yes,  I  understand/'  said  Miss  Loomis  in  reply. 

A  moment  later  she  accosted  him.  "  I'm  going  to 
ask  you  something  that  may  sound  very  strange,"  she 
said,  and  her  color  heightened  and  the  lids  swept  quickly 
over  her  eyes,  "  yet — I  believe  you  won't  misunderstand. 
I  want  you  to  do  something — or  rather  not  to  do  some 
thing — for  me.  You  were  going  to  tell  Captain  Tib- 
betts  about  that  affair  of  last  night, — that  other  soldier's 
coming  in  here,  were  you  not?" 

"  I  certainly  was." 

"Well— please  don't." 


CHAPTER    V. 

A  WEEK  later,  with  additional  detachments  of  horse, 
foot,  and  recruits,  Mr.  Davies  found  himself  in  camp 
on  the  sandy,  sage-covered  flats  to  the  west  of  old  Fort 
Fetterman.  Here,  too,  were  gathered  wagons  and 
mules  laden  with  ammunition  and  supplies  for  the  big 
column  already  in  the  field  far  to  the  northward. 
Officers  hurrying  to  the  front  from  leave  of  absence 
which  they  had  promptly  relinquished,  newspaper 
correspondents,  packers,  teamsters,  scouts  and  would- 
be  scouts,  soldiers  old  and  soldiers  new, — it  was  a 
strange  and  motley  array,  all  awaiting  the  coming  of 
the  cavalry  command,  which  was  to  be  their  escort 


64  UNDER  FIRE. 

through  the  Indian-infested  region  that  lay  between 
them  and  the  main  supply  camp  beyond  Cloud  Peak. 
Between  them  and  the  barren  slopes  to  the  northward 
rolled  the  swollen  Platte,  its  shallowest  fords  breast- 
deep.  At  rare  intervals,  with  his  life  in  his  hands 
and  his  despatches  done  up  in  oil-skin,  some  solitary 
courier  came  galloping  down  to  the  opposite  bank  and 
was  hauled  over  by  the  rope  ferry,  the  only  means  of 
dry  communication  between  the  shores.  One  day, 
strongly  guarded,  there  arrived  a  little  procession  of 
ambulances  and  travois,  bearing  such  of  the  wounded 
as  could  stand  such  rude  transportation, — but  this  was 
while  Davies  with  his  recruits  was  still  on  his  foot 
tramp  through  the  passes  of  the  Medicine  Bow, — and 
among  these  wounded  was  Captain  Cranston,  now 
comfortably  housed  in  the  quarters  of  a  brother  officer 
who  was  with  his  troop  at  the  front,  and  there  Davies 
found  the  two  ladies,  his  companions  of  the  railway 
ride,  duly  installed  as  nurses.  Almost  the  first  ques 
tion  asked  by  Miss  Loomis  was  about  her  patient, 
the  lance  corporal. 

"  He  is  here  with  us,"  said  Davies,  "  his  hand  still 
in  a  sling.  That  was  a  deep  cut  and  a  bad  one,  but 
he's  a  plucky  young  fellow  and  declined  to  be  left 
behind  at  Sanders.  He  tells  me,  however,  that  the 
hospital  steward  with  us  cannot  compare  in  skill  with 
the  nurse  he  had  on  the  cars." 

Miss  Loomis  smiled.  "  You  know  I  owe  that  to 
father,"  she  said.  Then,  with  quick  change  of  subject, 
"  But  I  haven't  congratulated  you  on  your  assignment." 

"  Is  it  here? — has  it  come?"  he  asked,  eagerly.  "  I 
did  not  know.  What  regiment  ?" 


UNDER   FIRE.  65 

"  To  the  Eleventh  Cavalry, — Captain  Cranston's 
own  regiment." 

"  The  Eleventh  Cavalry  !"  he  exclaimed,  surprise 
and  pleasure  in  his  face.  "  I  had  not  hoped  for  that ; 

and  yet "  a  shadow  falling  and  constraint  creeping 

into  his  tone.  "  I  fear  I  ought  to  have  gone  into  the 
infantry.  I  had  made  every  preparation.  Where  did 
you  hear?" 

"About  the  orders?  Why,  from  Colonel  Den  ton. 
He  came  last  evening  to  call,  and  we  were  speaking 
of  you.  Haven't  you  been  to  see  him  yet?  You 
know  that's  an  officer's  first  duty  on  coming  to  a  post." 

"  I  came  here  first,"  answered  Davies.  "  It  seemed 
most  natural.  Of  course  I  was  going  to  call  on  the 
commanding  officer.  Captain  Tibbetts  said  he  would 
take  me  as  soon  as  he  came  up,  a  little  later.  I  got 
away  earlier,  as  I  wranted  to  inquire  for  my  letters,  but 
I  missed  them  after  all, — they  had  been  sent  over  to 
camp.  Are  you  sure  about  my  being  assigned  to  the 
cavalry?" 

"  There's  no  doubt  about  it.  Colonel  Denton  said 
instructions  came  by  telegraph  to  notify  you  of  your 
assignment  to  the  Eleventh,  and  directing  you  as 
having  relinquished  graduation  leave  to  report  to  Col 
onel  Winthrop,  now  commanding  the  regiment  in 
the  field.  Perhaps  your  throwing  up  your  leave  and 
seeking  instant  service  had  something  to  do  with  your 
good  fortune, — if  cavalry  is  really  what  you  wanted." 

"  It  is  certainly  what  I  would  most  like,"  he  an 
swered  ;  "  and  yet, — there  were  reasons." 

She  stood  there  in  the  door-way  in  her  cool  white 
dress  looking  so  fresh  and  dainty  and  fair  to  see ;  her 
e  6* 


66  UNDER   FIRE. 

dark  eyes  had  lighted  with  pleasure  at  sight  of  her 
friend,  and  the  flush  was  still  on  her  soft  and  rounded 
cheek.  She  was  noting  how  his  few  days  of  marching 
and  campaigning  had  improved  him,  even  at  the  ex 
pense  of  a  sensitive  complexion.  Mr.  Davies's  nose 
was  peeling,  as  a  result  of  a  week's  exposure  to  blister 
ing  Wyoming  suns,  his  eyes  were  red-rimmed  too,  in 
tribute  to  alkali  dust  and  water.  •  The  gloss  was  gone 
from  his  trim  fatigue  dress,  a  red  silk  handkerchief 
had  replaced  the  white  starched  collar,  and  a  soft  drab 
felt  hat  the  natty  forage-cap.  But  he  looked  the  more 
soldierly  and  serviceable  if  less  trim,  and  being  tall, 
spare,  and  athletic,  if  not  particularly  handsome,  Mr. 
Davies  was  at  least  as  presentable  as  the  average  of  his 
fellows  now  thronging  the  post,  for  bristling  beards 
and  frontier  scouting-dress  banish  all  vestige  of  dandy 
ism.  But  if  she  liked  him  still  better  now  that  the 
week  had  wrought  its  changes,  what  could  be  said  of 
his  impressions?  Attractive  as  she  had  appeared  in 
the  grime  and  dust  and  heat  of  the  railway  car,  now 
in  that  dainty  gown  of  cool  white  lawn,  open  at  the 
rounded  throat,  she  saw  with  woman's  unerring  eye 
the  unspoken  approval  if  not  open  admiration  in  his 
face.  Not  yet  nineteen,  she  had  lived  a  busy,  earnest, 
thoughtful  life.  The  Cranstons  had  known  her  from 
early  maidenhood.  She  was  a  child  in  the  Southern 
garrison  in  the  days  of  the  great  epidemic,  when  the 
young  captain  owed  his  life  to  the  doctor's  skill  and 
assiduous  care.  It  was  this  that  led  to  the  deep  friend 
ship  between  the  two  men,  and  to  Cranston's  assuming 
the  duties  of  guardian  and  protector  after  Loomis's 
lamented  death.  It  was  this  that  determined  her 


UXDER  FIRE.  67 

hastening  to  Mrs.  Cranston  the  moment  the  sad  news 
came,  and  then  accompanying  her  to  the  frontier.  A 
mature  head  was  that  on  her  young  shoulders,  but 
she  who  had  so  easily  repelled  the  advances  of  the 
admiring  fellow-passenger  on  the  train  had  been 
attracted  by  the  bearing  and  behavior  of  the  young 
officer,  who,  absorbed  in  his  new  cares  and  duties,  had 
apparently  noticed  her  hardly  at  all.  She  and  the 
train  conductor  and  Mr.  Langston,  the  elder  of  the 
two  civilians,  at  least,  knew  who  was  the  inspiration 
of  that  effective  squelching  given  the  rioting  recruits, 
whatever  impression  might  be  prevailing  at  depart 
ment  head-quarters  or  at  Sanders.  She,  presumably, 
had  her  duties  as  assistant  to  Mrs.  Cranston  at  the 
bedside  of  the  sorely  wounded  officer.  Davies,  too,, 
had  matters  requiring  his  attention  about  the  post,  for 
the  word  had  gone  the  rounds  that  they  were  to  march 
at  dawn  on  the  morrow.  Yet  here  under  the  vine- 
sheltered  portico  they  lingered,  chatting  on  all  manner 
of  topics.  Mrs.  Cranston  came  smilingly  to  congratu 
late  the  young  officer  on  his  assignment  to  her  husband's 
regiment,  to  say  the  captain  was  dozing  now  and  that 
she  thought  she  would  lie  down  a  while,  but  that  Miss 
Loomis  was  not  to  think  of  coming  in  out  of  the  sweet 
summer  air. 

"  Oh,  Mr.  Davies  is  only  waiting  for  Captain  Tib- 
betts  to  come  up  from  camp  to  call  with  him  on  the 
post  commander,"  said  Miss  Loomis ;  "  and  here  comes 
the  captain  now,"  she  continued,  as  a  stalwart,  full- 
bearded,  heavily-built  fellow  swung  himself  off  his 
horse  at  the  gate,  and,  leaving  him  with  his  orderly, 
came  forward  with  cordial  inquiries  for  his  wounded 


68  UNDER  FIRE. 

comrade,  and  with  a  packet  of  letters,  at  least  a  dozen, 
which  he  handed  to  the  new  lieutenant. 

"Seven  of  them  addressed  in  the  same  fair,  feminine 
hand,  youngster,"  said  he,  in  the  easy  jocularity  of  the 
frontier.  "  That  gives  you  dead  away." 

And  the  color  that  mounted  to  Mr.  Davies's  forehead, 
a  cloud  of  embarrassment,  told  plainly  that  the  shot 
was  a  centre.  He  had  not  recovered  himself  when  the 
captain  again  turned,  saying  they  must  go  to  the  com 
manding  officer's  quarters  at  once  or  be  too  late. 

"Remember,  you  are  to  come  and  lunch  with  us, 
Mr.  Davies,"  said  the  captain's  wife,  as  he  was  saying 
adieu. 

"  I — I'm  afraid  I  can't,  Mrs.  Cranston,"  was  his 
answer.  "  "NVe  march  so  soon,  and  I  have  so  many 
preparations  to  make." 

"  Preparations  ?  Why,  what  on  earth  have  you  been 
doing  ever  since  you  came  up  to  the  post  ?"  asked  his 
witless  or  too  witty  tormentor.  "  He's  simply  eager 
to  get  off  by  himself  somewhere  and  devour  his  ration 
of  spoon  meat.  I  know  how  it  is,  Mrs.  Cranston.  I 
was  there  ten  years  ago."  And  Davies's  low-toned 
protestations  were  drowned  in  the  jovial  tones  of  his 
burly  comrade. 

"I'll  come  to  say  good-by  to-night,  perhaps,"  he 
stammered,  as  he  was  led  away,  still  clutching  his 
packet ;  but  Miss  Loo  mis  had  turned  and  gone  within 
doors  before  the  visitors  reached  the  gate. 

"  I'm  sorry  to  hear  of  it,"  said  Captain  Cranston, 
when  later  that  evening  his  wife  was  laughingly  tell 
ing  of  Davies's  betrayal  and  confusion.  "  I  always 
feel  distressed  to  find  a  young  fellow,  just  entering 


UXDER  FIRE.  69 

service,  has  already  enlisted  in  one  much  more  exact 
ing.  I  was  in  love  when  I  graduated  myself." 

And  Davies  didn't  come  to  say  adieu.  He  wrote  a 
note  to  Mrs.  Cranston  saying  he  found  so  many  duties 
crowding  on  him  at  the  last  moment,  so  many  home 
letters  to  be  written  owing  to  his  having  left  in  such 
haste,  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  leave  camp. 
He  begged  her  to  say  good-by  for  him  to  Miss  Loomis, 
whom  he  sincerely  hoped  he  might  meet  again,  and 
with  his  best  wishes  for  the  captain's  speedy  recovery 
and  restoration  to  duty,  he  begged  to  subscribe  himself 
her  friend  and  most  obedient  servant. 

"  Xow,  I  like  that  young  fellow,"  said  Mrs.  Crans 
ton,  folding  up  the  letter,  "  only  I  didn't " 

"  Well,  didn't  what?"  asked  her  companion,  seeing 
that  she  had  faltered  for  a  word. 

"  Well — he  didn't  act  at  all  like  an  engaged  man, 
— like  he  ought  to  have  acted/'  said  Mrs.  Cranston,  with 
honest  disdain  of  masculine  flirts  or  malevolent  rules 
of  speech,  due  perhaps  to  long  association  with  belles 
of  the  Blue  Grass  country. 

'*  Why,  I  didn't  think  he  was  engaged,"  said  Miss 
Loomis. 

"  Xo, — and  he  didn't  mean  you  to.  But  when  one 
mail  brings  a  man  seven  letters  from  one  girl,  I've 
no  use  for  him." 

u  Well,  I  should  much  rather  he  had  them  of  one 
than  from  seven  different  girls,"  said  Miss  Loomis, 
smiling  resolutely. 

"  Oh,  you're  bound  to  uphold  him,  I  see.  All  the 
same,  I  thought  better  of  him." 

"  Ah  ?"    And  now  in  a  very  pretty,  playful  way  did 


70  UNDER  FIRE. 

Miss  Loomis  take  her  companion's  flushed  face  be 
tween  two  long,  white,  slender  hands, — very  cool  and 
dainty  members  were  they, — and  archly  queried,  "Are 
you  beginning  to  tire  of  your  bargain,  Lady  Cranston  ? 
Are  you  planning  already  to  unload  me,  as  the  captain 
says,  on  somebody  else  ?" 

The  answer  came  with  sudden  vehemence  and  a  hug. 
"  You  are  much  too  good  for  any  man  I  know, — ex 
cept  Will,  and  you  can't  have  him.  And  I'll  never 
let  you  go  till  the  right  one  comes." 

After  which  outburst,  and  for  over  a  week,  did  this 
young  matron  say  little  more  to  Miss  Loomis  on  the 
subject,  but  she  must  have  enlivened  some  hours  of  the 
captain's  convalescence  with  her  views  on  recent  grad 
uates  in  general,  and  this  one  in  particular,  for  when  at 
last  letters  came  from  the  front  announcing  the  arrival 
of  the  reinforcements  and  the  final  cutting  loose  of  the 
reorganized  column  from  its  base,  the  prostrate  warrior 
glanced  up  at  his  busy  wife  with  an  odd  mixture  of 
merriment  and  concern  in  his  haggard  face. 

"  To  whose  troop  do  you  suppose  your  friend  Davies 
has  been  assigned  ?" 

"  Not  to  yours,  surely.     You  have  no  vacancy." 

"  No.  I  fear  I  wish  I  had, — every  time  I  see  my 
bulky  senior  sub  in  saddle.  But,  of  all  men  you 
know " 

"  Will  Cranston !   You  don't  mean  Captain  Devers?" 

«  Yes,— Captain  Differs,  for  a  fact." 

"  Well,  then  your  protege  and  Mr.  Davies  have 
gone  into  the  same  troop.  What  a  strange  coinci 
dence  !  Isn't  it  time  Mrs.  Barnard  answered  Agatha's 
letter?" 


UNDER  FIRE.  71 

"  Time  she  answered  it  ?  Yes,"  replied  Cranston, 
"  yet  not  time  for  her  answer  to  get  here.  Poor  lady  ! 
She  was  so  distressed  at  the  thought  of  his  going  into 
the  army.  I  hope  that  letter  will  comfort  her.  It 
ought  to.  I  doubt  if  he  ever  did  an  honest  day's 
work  before." 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE  battalion  had  halted  at  the  foot  of  the  slope, 
each  troop  closing  up  on  its  predecessor  and  huddling 
in  shivering  silence.  No  trumpet  sounded  ;  no  word 
of  command  was  heard.  Every  troop  leader  threw 
up  his  hand  when  he  thought  he  had  gone  far  enough 
and  rolled  stiffly  out  of  saddle,  his  horse  only  too 
willingly  standing  stock-still  the  instant  he  found 
himself  no  longer  urged.  "  Dismount"  either  by 
signal  or  command  would  have  been  an  affront  to  a 
cavalry  force  two-thirds  of  whose  array  seemed  to  be 
dismounted  already,  some  towing  along  by  taut  bridle- 
rein  the  famished  relic  of  a  once  spirited  charger, 
others  comforting  themselves  with  the  reflection  that 
at  least  they  had  now  only  their  own  carcass  to  care 
for,  others  still  wishing  they  had  not  even  that  respon 
sibility,  wondering  how  much  longer  their  aggrieved 
stomachs  might  have  to  struggle  with  the  only  pabulum 
upon  which  they  had  been  allowed  to  expend  their 
gastric  juices  for  over  forty- eight  hours,  and  suffering 
the  pangs  of  remorse,  both  physical  and  mental,  in  the 
poignant  consciousness  that  the  cause  of  this  distress 


72  UNDER  FIRE. 

was  the  undigested  portion  of  some  late  faithful  four- 
footed  friend  and  companion,  for  the  command  for 
rations  had  been  reduced  to  horse  meat  on  the  hoof. 
Three  hundred  miles  from  the  nearest  post  when  their 
supplies  gave  out,  in  the  heart  of  the  Bad  Lands  and 
the  height  of  the  worst  season  of  the  year,  except  mid 
winter,  it  had  turned  its  -back  to  the  forts  and  its  face 
to  the  foe,  true  to  its  orders,  still  following  the  trail 
of  the  hostile  tribe, — the  only  hot  thing  it  had  struck 
for  a  week.  "Live  on  the  country,  there  isn't  any 
thing  else,"  were  their  orders,  as  they  cut  loose  from 
the  main  command,  and  their  major — a  reserved  and 
conservative  fellow  at  other  times — came  away  from 
the  grim  presence  of  his  commander  with  blasphemy  on 
his  bearded  lips.  The  only  human  habitation  within 
scores  of  miles  of  his  line  of  march  were  Indian  lodges, 
and  both  grass  for  the  horses  and  game  for  the  men 
had  been  fired  off  the  face  of  the  earth  by  those  active 
foemen  before  the  drenching  wintry  rain  set  in  and 
chilled  to  the  marrow  the  shelterless  forms  of  starving 
trooper  and  staggering  steed. 

'*  Live  on  the  country,  indeed  !  Two  antelope  and 
ten  prairie  dogs  was  the  sum  total  of  the  game  secured 
by  the  hunters  in  three  days'  pursuit.  And  what  are 
they,"  said  Captain  Truman,  "among  so  many?  Bar 
ley  loaves  and  Galilee  perch  might  be  made  to  go 
round  in  a  bigger  crowd  in  the  days  of  miracles,  but 
this  isn't  Jordan's  strand/'  he  added,  as  he  glanced 
around  at  the  dripping,  desolate  slopes,  and  then,  forti 
fied  in  his  opinion  by  the  gloomy  survey,  concluded, 
with  cavalry  elegance,  "  not  by  a  damn  sight." 

"What's   the    matter    ahead,    anyhow?"    hailed    a 


UNDER  FIRE.  73 

brother  captain,  up  to  his  shins  in  sticky  mud,  who 
had  been  making  mental  calculation  as  to  how  many 
more  hours  of  such  wearing  work  and  wretched  weather 
it  would  take  to  unhorse  his  entire  company. 

"  Don't  know,"  was  the  short  answer.  Men  fight, 
but  they  seldom  talk  on  empty  stomachs. 

"  Why,  I  thought  I  saw  you  talking  with  Hastings 
when  he  rode  back."  Hastings  being  the  battalion 
adjutant.  "Didn't  he  say  what  they  were  pow 
wowing  about?" 

"  No,  and  I  didn't  ask.  There  was  nothing  to  eat 
in  sight,  and  that's  the  only  matter  that  interests  my 
people  just  now.  Just  look  at  those  poor  brutes !" 
And  Truman  heaved  a  sigh  as  he  gazed  about  among 
his  gaunt,  dejected  horses,  many  of  them  so  weak  as 
barely  to  be  able  to  stand. 

"  My  men  are  as  bad  off  as  the  horses,  pretty  near," 
said  Captain  Devers,  the  other.  "  There  isn't  one  of 
them  that  hasn't  turned  his  saddle-bags  inside  out  to 
day  for  the  last  crumb  of  hard-tack.  They're  worn 
to  skin  and  bone.  Three  of  them  broke  down  entirely 
back  there  at  the  creek  crossing,  and  if  there  weren't 
Indians  all  round  us,  nothing  would  have  fetched  them 
along.  There  goes  Da  vies,  coddling  'em  again,  damn 

it !  That  man  would  spoil  any  troop Mr.  Davies!" 

he  called,  and  a  gaunt,  wiry  fellow,  with  a  stiff  beard 
sprouting  on  his  thin,  haggard  face,  turned  away  from 
a  bedraggled  trooper  who  had  thrown  himself  in 
utter  abandonment  among  the  dripping  sage  brush  at 
the  side  of  the  trail,  and  came  to  his  troop  com 
mander. 

"  I  wish  you  wouldn't  make  such  a  fuss  over  those 

D 


74  UNDER  FIRE. 

men,"  said  Devers,  petulantly.  "  Just  leave  'em  alone. 
They'll  come  out  all  right.  This  coddling  and  petting 
isn't  going  to  do  any  good.  Soldiers  are  not  like  sick 
children." 

"  A  good  many  of  ours  seem  to  feel  that  way  just 
now,  sir,"  said  the  young  officer.  "  I  only  thought  to 
cheer  him  up  a  bit." 

"  Well,  when  my  men  need  nursing,  Mr.  Davies,  I'll 
have  you  detailed  in  that  capacity,  but  be  so  good  as 
to  refrain  from  it  otherwise.  I  don't  like  it.  That's 
all." 

Without  a  word  Davies  turned  on  his  heel  and  went 
back  to  his  horse.  Truman,  looking  after  him  with 
a  not  unkindly  interest  in  his  tired  eyes,  saw  that  he 
swayed  a  little  as  he  ploughed  his  way  through  the  thick 
and  sticky  mud.  "  That  boy's  as  weak  as  a  sick  child 
himself,  Devers,"  said  he.  "  You'll  have  to  have  a 
nurse  for  him  before  we  get  in." 

"  Well,  it's  his  own  fault,  then.  He  had  just  as 
much  in  his  haversack  as  I  had  when  we  cut  loose 
from  the  main  column.  I  'spose  he's  given  it  away." 

"  I  know  he  has,"  was  the  curt  rejoinder.  "  Neither 
of  those  two  men  could  stomach  tough  mule  meat.  I 
suppose  that  was  the  only  way  to  get  'em  along." 

Devers  turned  gloomily  about.  Down  in  the  bottom 
of  his  heart  he  felt  that  in  his  annoyance  at  what  he 
considered  disregard  of  his  instructions  he  had  spoken 
harshly  and  unjustly  to  a  young  officer  of  whom  he 
had  heard  many  a  word  of  praise  during  the  hard  and 
trying  campaign  now  drawing  to  a  close.  True,  the 
words  had  fallen  mainly  from  the  lips  of  those  of  the 
rank  and  file  or  from  seniors  whom  he  didn't  like. 


UNDER  FIRE.  75 

In  some,  cases,  especially  among  the  enlisted  men,  they 
would  appear  to  have  been  spoken  for  the  captain's  espe 
cial  benefit.  Devers,  while  a  painstaking  officer  and  not 
unmindful  of  the  care  of  his  men,  wras  one  who  "  lacked 
magnetism,"  to  say  the  least,  and  never  won  from  them 
the  enthusiastic  homage  they  often  lavished  on  others 
among  their  superiors.  The  fact  that  Lieutenant 
Davies,  finding  Moore  and  Rupp  actually  so  weak 
from  lack  of  food  that  they  could  hardly  drag  one 
leg  after  another,  had  been  sharing  with  them  his  own 
slender  store  of  provision  was  not  the  first  thing  the 
men  had  noted  in  his  favor,  but  that  was  no  reason, 
thought  Devers,  why  they  should  raise  their  voices  and 
glance  covertly  in  his  direction  when  referring  to  it. 
Devers  was  one  of  the  kind  sometimes  called  unsym 
pathetic,  that  is,  he  seemed  so,  but  it  was  more  in 
manner  than  in  fact,  for  few  troop  commanders  in  his 
regiment  were  really  more  careful  in  providing  for 
their  men  than  he.  But  these  were  days  that  tried 
men's  tempers  as  well  as  their  souls,  and  the  officer  who 
could  look  back  on  that  long  campaign  against  the 
Sioux  without  regretting  some  speech  wrung  from  him 
by  the  exasperation  produced  by  incessant  exposure, 
hardship,  and  finally  by  starvation,  were  few  indeed. 
Devers  was  honest  enough  to  admit  to  himself  at  the 
moment  that  he  wished  he  hadn't  said  what  he  did  say 
to  Davies,  but  not  so  honest  as  to  confess  it  to  any  one 
else.  Yet  stealing  a  glance  at  the  young  fellow  whom 
he  had  humiliated,  now  wearily  leaning  against  his 
saddle,  Devers  would  have  been  glad  to  find  some  way 
of  making  amends,  but,  stealing  another  glance  around 
another  way  after  Truman,  of  whom  he  was  both 


76  UNDER  FIRE. 

jealous  and  afraid,  he  hardened  his  heart.  It  is  one 
thing  to  say  "  I  was  in  the  wrong"  to  the  victim,  and 
quite  another  to  admit  it  to  one's  fellows.  It  is  fear 
of  what  the  world  will  say  that  keeps  many  a  man 
from  righting  many  a  wrong,  and  men,  too,  who 
wouldn't  flinch  in  front  of  a  mile  of  batteries. 

Standing  listlessly  by  their  horses,  the  men  of  Devers's 
troop  had,  some  of  them  at  least,  been  silent  witnesses 
of  the  scene.  One  or  two  officers  also  had  marked 
and  conjectured,  though  they  had  not  heard,  what  had 
taken  place.  Truman  alone  was  cognizant  of  all,  and, 
whatever  may  have  been  his  views,  this  was  neither 
the  time  nor  place  to  express  them.  But  he  took  occa 
sion  to  stop  as  he  was  returning  to  the  head  of  his  own 
troop  and  speak  to  the  young  officer  in  the  case. 

"  Davies,"  said  he,  kindly,  "  come  over  with  me  a 
moment.  I've  got  a  little  chunk  of  antelope  in  my 
saddle-bags,  and  you  need  it,  man.  We'll  all  have 
something  to  eat  to-night — sure.  We'll  make  the  Belle 
Fourche  by  nine." 

.  Davies  looked  up  gratefully.  "  I'm  ever  so  much 
obliged,  captain,"  he  began,  "but  I  can't  eat  with 
all  those  poor  fellows  looking  at  me.  They're  about 
done  up." 

"Oh,  it's  rough,  I  know,  but  all  they've  got  to 
do  is  tag  along  with  the  column  till  night  and  then 
eat  their  fill.  You  haven't  had  enough  to  live  on, 
and  may  have  work  ahead.  Here  comes  Hastings 
now." 

And  as  he  spoke  the  battalion  adjutant  came  spur 
ring  down  from  a  low  ridge  at  the  front  fast  as  a 
miserably  jaded  horse  could  bear  him.  Earlier  in  the 


UNDER  FIRE.  77 

campaign  every  man  would  have  felt  the  thrill  of 
coming  excitement, — a  chase,  a  brush  of  some  kind, 
perhaps, — but  now  all  were  weak  and  weary.  Even 
the  Patlanders  in  Truman's  troop,  men  of  whom  it 
had  often  been  said  that  they'd  rather  fight  than  eat, 
were  no  more  full  of  fight  to-day  than  they  were  of 
food. 

"What's  he  want?"  growled  Devers,  sauntering 
over  to  where  the  officer  stood.  "  We've  left  the 
Indians  miles  behind.  Surely  there  can't  be  any 
between  us  and  the  river." 

Many  eyes  were  fixed  on  the  coming  horseman  or 
on  the  little  group  of  scouts  and  soldiers  surrounding 
the  major,  who,  kneeling,  was  levelling  his  field-glasses 
over  the  ridge  at  some  objects  far  away,  apparently 
towards  the  southeast. 

"  They're  everywhere, — damn  them  !"  was  the  curt 
answer,  "  except  where  we  want  them.  But  he's  look 
ing  off  square  to  the  left,  not  ahead." 

This  was  true.  Whatever  it  might  have  been  far 
to  the  front  of  the  weary  column  that  caused  the  little 
squad  of  scouts  to  signal  halt  after  their  first  cautious 
peep  over  that  ridge,  the  object  at  which  so  many  were 
now  excitedly  peering  and  pointing  was  at  right  angles 
to  the  direction  of  the  march.  Yet  did  the  advance 
keep  well  concealed  against  observant  eyes  ahead, 
though  why  they  should  do  so  when  every  Indian  in 
Dakota  by  this  time  knew  all  about  them,  their  move 
ments,  and  those  of  the  main  column  farther  over 
towards  the  Little  Missouri,  Truman  couldn't  under 
stand. 

"  Have  you  ten  horses  that  can  stand  a  side  scout?" 


78  UNDER   FIRE. 

asked  the  adjutant,  urging  his  mud-spattered  mount  to 
the  head  of  Devers's  troop.  He  spoke  abruptly,  and 
without  salute,  to  his  superior  officer, — his  own  captain 
at  that. 

"  What  are  we  on  but  a  side  scout  now  ?"  demanded 
that  officer,  in  the  surly  tone  the  best  of  men  may  fall 
into  under  such  circumstances. 

"That  isn't  the  question/'  replied  Mr.  Hastings, 
"and  we've  no  time  for  points.  Davies,  it's  your 
detail.  There's  something — we  can't  make  out  what — 
over  towards  the  river.  Report  to  the  major  and  I'll 
find  your  party." 

"  I  doubt  if  my  horse  can  stand  any  side  scout," 
said  Davies,  slowly,  "  but  I  am  ready." 

"  Oh,  your  horse's  as  good  as  any  in  the  outfit,"  in 
terposed  the  adjutant,  impatiently.  "  The  major  wants 
ten  men  from  your  troop  at  once,  captain, — the  ten  who 
have  the  strongest  horses.  It  won't  take  'em  more 
than  a  dozen  miles  out  of  the  way,  I  reckon.  The 
whole  crowd  would  go,  only  men  and  horses  can  barely 
make  the  day's  march  as  it  is." 

"See  any  Indians?"  asked  Truman,  lounging  up. 

"  I  haven't.  Crounse  and  the  scouts  say  they  have, 
and  it's  likely  enough.  Of  course  you've  seen  the 
pony  tracks,  and  what's  queer  is  that  many  of  them 
head  over  towards  the  very  point  where  this  smoke  is 
drifting  from.  Looks  as  if  they'd  jumped  some  wagons 
and  burned  them." 

Meantime,  Mr.  Davies  had  slowly  mounted  and  was 
urging  his  reluctant  horse  into  some  semblance  of  a 
canter.  As  the  slope  in  front  of  him  steepened,  how 
ever,  both  horse  and  rider  abandoned  the  effort,  and, 


UNDER  FIRE.  79 

full  fifty  yards  below  the  point  where  the  battalion 
commander  and  his  scouts  were  in  consultation,  the 
lieutenant  dismounted,  and  leaving  his  steed  unguarded 
to  nibble  at  a  patch  of  scant  and  sodden  herbage  that 
had  survived  the  Indian  fires,  he  slowly  climbed  the 
ascent.  "  I  am  ordered  to  report  to  you,  sir/'  was  all 
he  had  to  say. 

The  major  lowered  his  field-glass  and  looked  back 
over  a  broad,  burly  shoulder  garbed  in  canvas  shoot 
ing-jacket.  Not  a  stitch  of  uniform  graced  his  massive 
person  from  head  to  heel,  yet  soldier  was  manifest  in 
every  gesture  or  attitude.  A  keen  observer  might 
have  said  that  a  shade  of  disappointment  crossed  his 
fine,  full-bearded  face  as  he  heard  the  subaltern's  voice, 
but  no  sign  of  it  appeared  in  his  tone  when  he  spoke. 

"  Mr.  Davies,  just  take  this  glass  and  see  what  you 
make  of  that  smoke  off  yonder.  The  sun  is  getting 
low  and  it  baffles  me  somewhat."  Silently  the  lieu 
tenant  obeyed,  and  creeping  up  towards  the  crest  he 
knelt  and  took  a  preliminary  peep. 

Issuing  from  the  Bad  Lands  the  jaded  column  had 
been  plodding  all  day  long,  though  with  frequent  en 
forced  rests,  through  a  rolling  sea  of  barren,  turfless 
earth.  AVhat  grass  had  carpeted  its  surface  in  the 
spring  had  been  burned  off  by  sagacious  Indians,  bent 
on  impeding  by  every  known  device  the  march  of 
troops  through  their  lands, — and  what  device  the  In 
dian  does  not  know  is  little  worth  knowing.  Under 
a  dripping  leaden  sky  the  earth  lay  desolate  and  re 
pulsive.  Miles  away  to  the  north  the  dim,  castellated 
buttes  and  pinnacles  of  the  range  were  still  faintly 
visible,  and  the  tortuous  trail  of  the  column  of  twos 


80  UNDER   FIRE. 

winding  its  way  over  wave  after  wave  of  barren  prairie 
like  the  wake  of  some  terrestrial  bark  in  a  sea  of  mud. 
Far  to  the  westward  a  jagged  line  of  hills,  sharply 
defined,  seemed  to  rear  their  crests  from  the  general 
level  of  the  land,  and  somewhere  along  the  eastern 
slope  of  that  ridge,  and  not  far  from  where  two  twin- 
pointed  buttes  seemed  peeping  over  at  these  uncouth 
invaders,  the  main  command  of  the  expedition  should 
have  passed  earlier  in  the  day,  making  for  the  crossing 
of  the  swift-running  stream  that  circled  the  northern 
border  of  some  black,  forbidding  heights  lying  like 
a  dark  patch  upon  the  landscape  at  its  southwestern 
edge.  Black  as  it  looked,  that  Avas  their  one  refuge. 
There  alone  dare  they  hope  to  find  food.  Thither  had 
been  sent  an  advanced  detail  with  orders  to  buy  at 
owners'  prices  flour,  bacon,  bread,  coffee,  anything  the 
outlying  settlements  might  have  for  sale  that  would 
sustain  life.  Men  who  had  been  living  on  horse  or 
prairie-dog  would  not  be  fastidious.  Here,  too,  the 
major  had  hoped  by  night  to  bivouac  his  weary  men, 
but  it  seemed  desperately  far  away.  The  march  had 
been  much  impeded,  and  now,  far  out  on  his  left  flank 
was  something  that  could  not  be  passed  uniuvestigated. 
He,  with  his  worn  battalion  of  four  troops,  had  been 
detached  from  the  main  column  three  days  previous 
with  orders  to  follow  the  trail  of  a  war-party  of  Sioux, 
and  smite  them  hip  and  thigh  if  he  could  catch  them 
in  forty-eight  hours;  if  not,  to  veer  around  for  the 
valley  and  rejoin  the  column  at  its  bivouac  among  the 
foot-hills.  There  they  should  rest  and  recuperate. 
The  pursued  Indians,  fortunately,  had  turned  south 
ward  and  gone  jogging  leisurely  away  towards  their 


UNDER  FIRE.  81 

reservations,  until  warned  of  the  pursuit  by  ambi 
tious  young  braves  still  hovering  about  the  troops  in 
hope  of  slicing  off  the  scalp  of  some  straggler.  Then, 
every  man  for  himself,  they  had  apparently  scattered 
over  the  face  of  the  country,  laughing  gleefully  to 
think  what  fun  the  white  chief  would  have  in  de 
ciding  which  trail  to  follow.  The  situation  on  the 
third  day  out  had  been  summarized  by  Crounse,  the 
guide,  about  as  follows  :  "  So  long  as  this  outfit  pulls 
together  it  won't  catch  an  Indian ;  so  soon  as  it  doesn't 
pull  together  it'll  catch  hell,"  which  being  interpreted 
meant  that  the  four  companies  united  were  too  strong 
for  the  number  of  Indians  within  striking  distance,  or 
say  three  days'  march,  but  that  if  it  were  divided 
into  little  detachments,  and  sent  hither  and  yon  in 
pursuit  of  such  small  parties  as  would  then  allow 
themselves  to  be  seen,  the  chances  were  that  those 
pursuing  squads  would  one  by  one  be  lured  beyond 
support,  surrounded,  cut  off,  and  then  massacred  to  a 
man.  The  major  and  his  officers,  most  of  them,  knew 
this  as  well  as  Crounse.  They  knew,  moreover,  that 
even  so  large  a  command  as  theirs  had  been  cut  off, 
surrounded,  and  massacred  more  than  once  in  the 
history  of  Sioux  warfare,  but  then  the  Indians  were 
massed,  not  scattered  helter-skelter  all  over  the  con 
tinent  as  was  the  case  the  end  of  this  eventful  summer. 
Well  did  Major  Warren  understand  that  with  such 
broken-down  horses  and  weakened  men  he  could  now 
effect  little  or  nothing  against  the  Indians  after  whom 
he  had  been  sent,  even  could  he  overtake  them,  and 
his  instructions  were  literally  obeyed.  It  was  high 
time  for  him  to  restore  his  men  to  their  comrades. 


82  UNDER    FIRE. 

He  was  making  the  best  of  his  way  to  the  rendezvous, 
hoping  almost  against  hope  to  reach  the  welcome  of 
the  bivouac  fires,  and  hot  tins  of  coffee  and  toothsome 
morsels  of  hard-tack  and  bacon,  things  they  had  not 
had  a  scrap  of  for  three  days,  and  only  occasional  re 
minders  of  for  the  previous  ten,  when  lo  !  off  to  their 
flank,  far  to  the  southeast  there  appeared  this  unwel 
come  yet  importunate  sign.  Was  it  appeal  for  help 
or  lure  to  ambush  ?  Who  could  say  ?  Only  one 
thing  was  certain, — a  thick  smoke  drifting  westward 
from  the  clump  of  willows  and  timber  surrounding 
what  Crounse  said  was  a  spring  could  not  be  passed 
unheeded. 

"  If  we  march  the  whole  command  over  there,  it  will 
be  another  twenty-four  hours  before  we  can  reach  the 
regiment.  I  don't  think  many  of  the  men,  or  horses 
either,  can  go  that  much  longer  without  a  bite,"  said 
Mr.  Hastings,  the  battalion  adjutant,  seeing  in  his 
senior's  eye  a  permission  to  speak. 

t(  Well,  there  are  no  settlements  there  and  never 
have  been,"  said  Crounse,  "  so  it  can't  be  cabins  or 
shacks.  Wagons  it  may  be,  but  who'd  be  damn  fool 
enough  to  start  a  wagon-train  up  the  valley  this  year 
of  all  others,  when  every  Indian  at  the  reservation 
except  old  Spot  is  in  league  with  the  hostiles  ?  I  can't 
believe  it's  wagons,  yet  it's  on  the  road  full  a  mile 
this  side  of  the  river  itself.  What  I'm  afraid  of  is 
that  it's  a  plant.  They  want  to  coax  us  over  there 
and  cut  us  off,  as  they  did  Custer."  The  major  was 
silent  and  thoughtful.  Davies,  still  studying  the  dis 
tant  objects,  said  not  a  word.  Leading  their  horses, 
eight  troopers  following  a  sergeant,  all  wet,  weary,  and 


UNDER  FIRE.  83 

heaven  only  knows  how  hungry,  came  slowly  forward 
up  the  slope  until  they  reached  the  spot  where  Davies's 
horse  was  nibbling.  Here  the  foremost  halted  without 
a  word,  and  the  others  grouped  about  him  or,  stopping 
short  when  their  leader  did  so,  threw  themselves  on 
the  wet  ground  reckless  of  cold  or  rheumatism,  as 
spiritless  a  squad  as  frontier  warfare  could  well  de 
velop.  Valley  Forge  knew  nothing  like  it.  The  re 
treat  from  Moscow  might  have  furnished  a  parallel. 

Leaving  his  horse  to  do  as  his  jaded  fancy  might 
suggest,  the  battalion  adjutant,  returning  from  his 
quest,  came  slowly  to  the  major's  side.  "  I've  picked 
out  nine,  sir.  It  was  simply  impossible  to  find  another 
in  the  whole  two  hundred.  Some  of  these  look  barely 
able  to  stagger  as  it  is." 

"  And  it's  Davies's  detail  ?"  asked  the  major,  in  low 
tone. 

"  Yes,  sir.  He's  the  only  sub  in  the  battalion  who 
hasn't  been  on  detachment  duty  since  we  left  the 
Yellowstone,  and  his  horse  is  able  to  go.  Look  at 
him,  actually  kicking  !" 

This  was  true.  The  sergeant's  starving  charger, 
showing  a  disposition  to  poach  on  the  little  preserve 
that  Davies's  steed  had  pre-empted,  was  rewarded 
by  a  sudden  whirl  about  and  flourish  of  two  shod 
hoofs. 

"  Davies,"  said  the  major,  kindly,  yet  with  quick 
decision,  "  I  hate  to  impose  additional  work  on  worn- 
out  men,  but  we  can't  leave  that  matter  un investigated. 
I  want  you  to  ride  over  there  and  see  what  that  smoke 
means.  I  don't  think  Indians  in  any  force  are  near, 
and  ten  men  ought  to  be  enough  to  stand  'em  off.  If 


84  UNDER  FIRE. 

it's  nothing  of  consequence  you  can  follow  on  up 
stream  or  camp  as  you  please.  If  it's  a  wagon  outfit 
attacked,  and  there's  anything  left  to  help,  do  your 
best.  We'll  keep  a  troop  in  supporting  distance,  and 
instead  of  marching  straight  for  the  hills,  I'll  edge  off 
here  towards  the  river,  sending  Devers  well  out  to 
wards  you.  We've  got  nearly  three  hours  of  daylight 
yet.  Think  you  understand  ?" 

"  I  think  so,  sir,"  said  Davies,  slowly  replacing  his 
glass,  then  looking  hesitatingly  around. 

"  Anything  you  want  ?"  asked  Warren. 

"  Well,  I  should  like  to  see  Captain  Truman  just  a 
minute,  sir." 

"He's  three  hundred  yards  back  there  now,  and 
time's  precious.  Can't  I  do?"  asked  the  major,  not 
unkindly.  "  Want  to  leave  anything?" 

"No,  sir.  It's  of  no  consequence."  And  turning 
abruptly,  Davies  went  half  sliding,  half  shuffling  down 
the  slippery  slope,  kicked  the  mud  off  his  boots,  and 
briefly  nodding  to  the  sergeant,  said  "  Mount,"  hoisted 
himself  into  saddle,  and  led  his  little  party  silently 
away.  One  of  the  men  looked  appealingly  back 
towards  Crounse. 

"  Got  any  baccy,  Jim  ?" 

"  Not  a  pinch.     I'd  give  my  boots  for  a  chew." 

Davies  heard  the  appeal  and  turned  to  his  sergeant. 
"Tell  Dunn  to  come  up  here  alongside,"  said  he, 
reaching  down  into  his  saddle-pocket;  "I've  half  a 
plug  left,  sergeant,  and  we'll  divide." 

"  It'll  help  the  men  as  much  as  a  square  meal,  sir," 
said  the  trooper,  gratefully ;  "  but  I  never  saw  the 
lieutenant  chew." 


UNDER   FIRE.  85 

*  I  don't,  but  it's  some  I  fetched  along  for  just  such 
an  emergency." 

Meantime  the  major  and  his  party  stood  gazing 
silently  after  them.  They  saw  them  winding  away 
down  the  southward  face  of  the  long  ridge  and  cross 
ing  the  shallow  ravine  at  its  foot.  Beyond  lay  another 
long,  low  spur  of  treeless  prairie. 

"  The  Parson  didn't  seem  over-anxious  to  go/7  mut 
tered  Mr.  Hastings,  as  though  to  himself. 

"  Small  blame  to  him  !"  promptly  answered  the 
major.  "  I  don't  blame  any  man  in  this  command  for 
declining  any  invitation,  except  to  dinner.  Hallo  ! 
What's  that?" 

In  Davies's  little  party  the  men  had  been  seen  pass 
ing  some  object  from  one  to  the  other.  One  or  two 
who  had  ridden  up  alongside  the  young  officer  touched 
their  hats  and  fell  back  to  their  place.  Suddenly  two 
of  them  left  the  squad  and,  urging  their  horses  to 
such  speed  as  they  were  capable  of,  went  at  heavy 
plunging  lope  over  the  southern  end  of  the  opposite 
ridge  and  disappeared  from  view. 

"  Antelope,  by  jimminy  !  I  thought  I  saw  a  buck's 
horns  over  that  crest  yonder  a  minute  ago,"  said  an 
orderly. 

" Antelope  be  damned!"  said  Crounse,  gritting  his 
teeth.  "If  those  men  knew  this  country  as  I  do 
they'd  think  twice  before  they  rode  a  hundred  yards 
away  from  the  column.  I  wouldn't  undertake  to  ride 
from  here  to  that  butte  yonder, — not  for  a  beefsteak,  I 
wouldn't, — God  knows  what  else  I  wouldn't  do  for 
that !" 

"  Why,  you  can  see  the  whole  valley,  and  there  ain't 
8 


86  UNDER  FIRE. 

an  Indian  in  sight/'  said  the  orderly  trumpeter,  dis 
dainfully. 

"  Yes,  and  it's  just  when  you  can't  see  one  that  a 
valley's  most  apt  to  be  full  of  'em,  kid,"  began  the 
frontiersman,  but  the  major  cut  him  off. 

"Ride  after  Mr.  Davies  with  my  compliments, 
trumpeter,  and  tell  him  to  recall  those  men,  and  not  to 
let  them  straggle,  even  after  game." 

The  trumpeter  touched  his  ragged  hat-brim  and 
turned  away  to  get  his  horse,  which  he  presently  spurred 
to  a  sputtering  lope,  and  went  clattering  away  on  the 
trail. 

"  We  may  as  well  mount  now  and  push  ahead,"  said 
the  major,  after  a  moment's  reflection.  "Keep  Davies 
in  sight  as  much  as  possible,  Crounse."  And  so  saying 
he  went  on  and  climbed  stiffly  into  saddle,  for  he,  too, 
was  wet  and  chilled  and  sore-spirited ;  but  it  was  his 
business  to  put  the  best  face  on  matters  in  general,  and 
the  troopers,  seeing  the  major  mount,  got  themselves  to 
their  horses  without  further  order.  None  of  the  horses, 
poor  brutes,  required  holding,  but  stood  there  with 
dejected  crest,  pasterns  deep  in  the  mud,  too  weak  to 
wander  even  in  search  of  grass.  Warren  came  riding 
slowly  towards  his  men. 

"  Captain  Devers,"  said  he,  "  I  have  sent  Mr.  Davies 
off  to  the  left  to  scout  towards  the  valley.  I  wish  you 
to  follow  his  trail  a  mile,  and  then  to  march  due  south 
by  compass,  keeping  about  midway  between  him  and 
us.  Hold  him  in  sight,  if  possible,  and  be  ready  to 
support  him  if  he  should  be  attacked.  We  will  back 
you.  If  all  is  quiet  by  the  time  you  strike  the  old 
road  in  the  valley,  turn  west  and  follow  on  to  camp." 


UNDER  FIRE.  87 

But  Captain  Devers  was  one  of  those  officers  who 
seemed  never  to  grasp  an  order  at  first  hand.  Even 
when  it  came  in  writing,  clear,  brief,  and  explicit,  he 
often  required  explanations.  "  I  don't  think  I  under 
stand,  sir,"  he  began,  but  Warren  cut  him  short. 

UI  should  have  been  prepared  for  that,"  he  ex 
claimed,  giving  way  for  the  first  time  to  the  generally 
peppery  and  irascible  spirit  of  semi-starved  men. 
"  Mount !"  he  ordered.  "  Captain  Truman,  lead  the 
column, — Crounse  will  show  you  the  line.  I  will 
ride  here  awhile  with  Devers  and  show  him  what's 
wanted." 

Now,  it  is  one  of  the  peculiarities  of  prairie  land 
scape  that  where  whole  counties  may  appear  to  be  one 
general  level  or  open  slopes  when  viewed  from  the 
distance,  the  face  of  the  country  is  really  cut  up  in 
countless  directions  by  ravines,  watercourses  and 
coulees,  so  that,  except  in  the  level  bottom-lands  along 
a  river-bed,  it  is  next  to  impossible  to  keep  moving 
objects  continually  in  view.  Davies  and  his  little 
party  were  out  of  sight  when  the  major  reappeared  on 
the  ridge  with  Devers's  ragged  troop  at  his  heels.  So, 
too,  were  the  would-be  hunters.  "  Kid'7  Murray,  the 
trumpeter,  alone  remained  in  view,  and  he  had  just 
reached  the  crest  of  a  parallel  ridge  somewhat  lower 
and  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  left. 

Then  those  at  the  head  of  column  saw  a  strange 
thing.  The  young  trumpeter,  instead  of  pushing  for 
ward  on  the  trail,  had  suddenly  reined  in.  Bending 
forward  in  his  saddle,  he  was  gazing  eagerly  in  the 
direction  taken  by  the  antelope-stalkers ;  then,  sud 
denly  again,  whirled  about  and  began  frantically  sig- 


88  UNDER   FIRE. 

nailing  to  the  column.  They  saw  him  quickly  swing 
his  battered  trumpet  from  behind  his  back  and  raise  it 
to  his  lips,  sounding  some  call.  Floating  across  the 
wind,  over  the  bleak  and  barren  prairie,  came  almost 
together  the  muffled  sound  of  two  rifle-shots,  then 
the  stirring  trumpet  signal, — gallop. 

"  Away  with  you,  Devers !"  ordered  the  major. 
"  Head  Truman  this  way,  Mr.  Hastings.  Tell  him  to 
come  on."  And  forty  horsemen  went  laboring  down 
the  gentle  slope,  lugging  their  rusty  brown  carbines, 
one  by  one,  from  the  mud-covered  sockets. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

JADED  as  were  the  horses,  it  was  only  by  vigorous 
spurring  that  they  were  forced  into  anything  like  a 
gallop.  Earlier  in  the  campaign,  only  with  extreme 
difficulty  could  they  have  been  held.  In  dispersed 
order,  spreading  out,  fan-like,  to  avoid  the  volleys  of 
mud  hurled  back  by  the  leaders,  the  troop  came  strug 
gling  up  to  the  opposite  ridge,  many  of  the  men  loading 
as  they  rode,  all  with  eager  eyes  and  compressed  lips 
staring  straight  ahead  for  the  first  glance  at  what  each 
knew  must  be  the  foe.  That  no  shot  was  to  be  dreaded 
from  lurking  Indians  along  the  ridge  each  reasoned 
from  the  fact  that  the  trumpeter,  after  sounding  his 
signal  and  seeing  them  well  on  their  way,  had  himself 
pushed  on  out  of  sight.  Once  or  twice  the  foremost 


UNDER   FIRE.  89 

thought  they  hoard    other  shots.      All  reined  up  as 
they  reached  the  crest,  and  this  was  what  they  saw  : 

Far  ahead,  down  towards  the  valley  ran  a  long 
tongue  or  spur  from  the  high  ground  over  which  they 
had  steadily  been  marching  since  the  dawn.  Farther 
away,  perhaps  ten  miles,  a  black  fringe  in  the  depths 
of  the  valley  marked  the  winding  river-bed.  Against 
this  and  the  dull  background  of  the  opposite  rise  a 
faint  column  of  pale,  blue-white  smoke  was  drifting 
slowly  westward  from  a  little  patch  of  trees  at  least  a 
mile  nearer  them  than  the  river.  "  That's  Antelope 
Springs,"  said  Crounse,  who  knew  every  league  of  the 
valley.  Straight  towards  this  point  a  little  party  of 
horse  were  now  steadily  moving,  a  dark  spot  upon 
the  slopes,  and  nearly  a  thousand  yards  away.  They 
were  gradually  descending  to  the  valley  along  the 
eastern  side  of  the  long  tongue  referred  to,  all  ignorant, 
probably,  of  what  might  be  going  on  upon  the  other. 
Obedient  to  his  orders  then,  Davies  was  riding  by  the 
shortest  line  to  the  designated  goal,  and  all  with  them 
thus  far  seemed  tranquil  enough.  But  hardly  half  a 
mile  to  the  right  front  of  their  supporting  comrades, 
afoot  now,  and  stopping  every  minute  to  let  drive  a 
long-rauge  shot  at  some  objects  scurrying  away  over 
the  slopes  to  the  south,  "  the  Kid"  was  running,  and 
ever  and  anon  turning  to  beckon  them  on.  One  glance 
told  the  experienced  hands  what  those  fleeing  rascals 
were, — Indians,  fresh  from  some  deviltry,  their  swift 
ponies  bounding  over  the  little  gullies  and  water 
courses  like  so  many  goats.  Once  more  the  troop  spurred 
on,  though  every  man  realized  the  hopelessness  of  any 
pursuit.  The  first  thought  in  every  mind  was  the  fate 

8* 


90  UNDER  FIRE. 

of  their  two  venturesome  comrades.  Even  "  the 
Kid'7  could  not  be  sure  what  that  was  as  they  readied 
him.  "They're  just  over  around  that  point/7  lie 
almost  sobbed  in  his  excitement.  "  I  saw  the  Indians 
sneaking  up  the  ridge  yonder.  They  fired  from  there, 
and  then  rushed  in  with  a  yell,  and  I'm  afraid  they've 
got  'em." 

Brief  search  was  all  that  was  needed.  Not  half  a 
mile  west  of  the  little  party,  and  hidden  from  the 
sight  and  hearing  of  their  comrades,  the  two  eager, 
hungry  hunters  had  met  their  fate.  Four  lurking 
warriors, — part  of  the  daring  band  that,  hanging  about 
the  battalion,  watched  its  every  move,  ever  on  the  alert 
for  just  such  opportunity  as  this — had  lashed  their 
ponies  to  the  gallop,  darted  along  the  winding  ravine 
between  the  two  ridges  until  opposite  the  point  where 
the  hunters  crossed,  then  crawling  to  the  top,  had  shot 
the  poor  fellows  from  their  hidden  covert,  and  rushing 
in  as  they  tumbled  from  their  saddles,  had  quickly 
finished  the  bloody  work.  One  of  the  men,  Mullen, 
a  notable  shot,  seemed  to  have  been  killed  at  the  first 
fire,  as  he  lay  face  downward,  his  hands  gripping  the 
wet  soil,  his  scalp  torn  from  the  bare  and  bleeding 
skull.  Phillips,  his  chum,  had  died  fighting,  and  was 
riddled  with  shot  and  lance  wounds.  His  horse,  too, 
was  killed,  while  that  of  Mullen  was  wandering  help 
lessly  about  in  a  dazed  sort  of  way,  as  though  unable 
to  comprehend  his  own  narrow  escape.  For  once  there 
had  been  no  time  for  further  mutilation.  Contenting 
themselves  with  the  arms,  ammunition,  and  scalps  of  the 
troopers,  the  Indians  had  scurried  away  on  the  instant. 
The  whole  affair  had  not  lasted  two  minutes,  yet  there 


UNDER  FIRE.  91 

on  the  open  prairie,  in  broad  daylight,  with  a  four- 
company  battalion  of  horse  not  six  hundred  yards  away 
in  one  direction,  and  double  their  own  number  of 
troopers  riding  along  not  six  hundred  yards  away  in 
another,  they  had  dared  interpose  between  and  swoop 
down  upon  their  victims  in  their  fancied  security. 
Devers  was  almost  beside  himself  with  grief  and 
rage. 

"  It's  all  that  damned  Sunday-school  soldier's  fault  !" 
he  burst  forth.  "  He's  let  these  poor  fellows  ride  slap 
into  ambush,  and  gone  off  without  a  thought  of  them." 
He  would  have  said  more,  and  in  the  full  hearing  of 
the  whole  command,  but  the  stern  voice  of  the  major 
checked  him. 

"  Hush,  Devers,  hush  !"  he  ordered,  as  he  rode  into 
the  midst  of  the  pale  and  excited  group  gathered  about 
the  lifeless  forms.  "  Don't  halt,  Truman,"  he  ordered, 
as  the  senior  captain  came  trotting  up  at  the  head  of 
the  long  straggling  column.  u  Push  right  on  and 
do  your  best  to  catch  those  devils.  I'll  follow  in  a 
minute." 

Without  either  orders  or  permission  six  or  eight  of 
Devers's  men  spurred  into  the  nearest  gaps  in  Truman's 
column, — and  gaps  were  many, — others,  half  dazed, 
hung  about  their  captain. 

"  Send  a  messenger  to  Mr.  Davies  and  let  him  know 
what's  happened,"  continued  the  major,  after  a  moment 
of  painful  thought.  "  Bury  your  dead  as  quick  as  you 
can,  then  carry  out  your  orders.  Better  halt  Davies 
until  you're  ready  to  move  ahead."  Saying  this,  and 
followed  by  his  orderly,  the  battalion  commander 
spurred  away  towards  a  bedraggled  party  of  some 


92  UNDER   FIRE. 

fifty  dismounted  meu,  some  with  horses  meekly  droop 
ing  at  their  master's  heels,  several  without  even  the 
shadow  of  a  steed.  Truman  had  "  fallen  out"  his 
utterly  ineffective  to  form  a  guard  for  the  sick  and 
unhorsed,  Davies's  two  patients  among  them,  and  one 
of  those  now,  in  weakness  and  excitement,  crying  like 
a  child.  A  gray-haired  lieutenant  was  with  the  party 
striving  to  get  this  reserve  into  some  kind  of  shape. 
"Follow  Captain  Truman's  trail  to  the  river,  Mr. 
Calvert,"  said  the  major.  "  Bring  your  party  along 
as  well  as  you  can.  You'll  find  camp  somewhere  up 
stream.  We'll  have  rations  to  meet  you.  I'll  have 
to  go  on  now  after  the  battalion, — what  there  is  of  it," 
he  added  to  himself,  his  teeth  firmly  set.  "  Was  ever 
luck  worse  than  this  ?" 

And  thus  was  Captain  Devers,  as  senior  officer,  left 
in  command  with  the  troops  that  remained  clustered 
about  the  still  warm  and  bleeding  bodies  of  their 
murdered  comrades,  and  his  first  order  was  character 
istic.  "  Ride  after  Mr.  Davies,  trumpeter.  Tell  him 
to  halt  his  party  where  they  are,  and  say  I  wish  to  see 
him  at  once."  Dashing  the  tears  away  from  his  eyes, 
little  Murray  said,  "  Yes,  sir,"  and  mounted  his  horse. 
He  was  starting  when  Devers  called  him  again.  "You 
needn't  tell  Mr.  Davies  what's  happened,"  he  said. 
"  It  would  demoralize  him  entirely ;"  adding  in  an 
undertone  that  was  none  the  less  audible  to  the  men 
around  him,  "  He's  worse  than  demoralized  now." 

Digging  graves  with  hunting-knives  and  fingers  as 
the  only  tools  is  wearisome  work.  "  What's  the  use 
of  it  anyhow  ?"  reasoned  the  captain,  impatiently.  "  We 
simply  can't  dig  anything  but  a  shallow  trench  inside 


UNDER  FIRE.  93 

an  hour  with  the  means  at  hand.  The  coyotes  would 
paw  up  the  bodies,  sure,  before  we'd  gone  five  miles. 
Better  carry  them  along  on  these  led  horses  by  the 
shortest  route  to  the  river.  We're  bound  to  find  plenty 
of  rocks  there  that  the  wolves  can't  roll  away."  It 
wasn't  the  first  time  the  sad  little  command  had  had 
to  "  pack"  their  dead  and  wounded,  and  in  a  quarter 
of  an  hour,  with  perhaps  thirty  men  trailing  along 
behind  him,  Devers,  instead  of  obeying  his  original 
instructions,  was  striking  straight  across  country  for 
the  river.  And  so  it  happened  as  nightfall  approached 
there  were  four  parties  of  cavalry,  widely  dispersed, 
in  the  gathering  gloom  of  the  desolate  prairie.  The 
major  with  about  one  hundred  men  was  still  hurrying 
far  to  the  southwest  on  the  trail  of  the  Indians,  hoping 
before  dark  to  find  them  in  sufficient  force  to  halt  and 
show  fight.  Calvert  with  his  invalid  corps  followed 
three  miles  in  their  wake,  and  losing  ground  with 
every  minute ;  then  Devers,  with  about  thirty  men  in 
saddle  and  two  dead  on  their  travois,  was  slowly  plod 
ding  southward  towards  the  stream.  Davies's  little 
squad,  halted  as  ordered,  was  now  isolated  from  all,  far 
over  on  the  east  side  of  the  jagged  spur,  over  whose 
crest  their  lieutenant  had  just  disappeared  from  their 
sight,  with  Murray  in  attendance,  riding  Avearily  back 
to  find  his  captain,  disturbed  by  contradictory  orders 
and  dishearted  to  see  him  in  march  full  a  mile  farther 
away  than  he  supposed,  and  diverging  from  the  point 
of  direction  of  his  own  party  with  every  step.  Time 
and  again  had  Devers,  still  fuming  with  nervous  ten 
sion  and  mingled  wrath  and  pain, — hungry  and  sav 
age,  too,  it  must  be  borne  in  mind, — given  vent  to 


94  UNDER  FIRE. 

some  petulant  expression  because  of  the  non-arrival  of 
the  young  officer  whom  he  saw  fit  to  hold  responsible 
for  the  loss  of  his  men ;  and  when  at  last  Mr.  Davies 
neared  them,  riding  diagonally  towards  the  troop  from 
the  low  divide  to  the  east,  Devers  did  not  change  the 
direction  of  his  little  column  so  as  to  meet  him  half 
way,  but  held  on  sullenly  southward.  Observance  of 
the  major's  orders  would  have  carried  him  along  the 
trail  of  Davies's  party  until  well  across  that  ridge  or 
spur,  then  having  gone  the  designated  mile  he  should 
now  be  marching  southward  along  the  ridge  where 
he  could,  frequently  at  least,  see  both  Davies's  squad 
and  their  distant  objective-point, — that  smouldering 
fire  in  the  valley.  Marching  as  he  was  he  could  sec 
neither. 

Presently  coming  to  the  head  of  one  of  those  tor 
tuous  ravines  washed  out  from  the  general  surface  of 
the  prairie  by  the  melting  snows  of  centuries,  and 
noting  that  if  he  kept  to  the  eastward  side  he  would 
have  to  deflect  a  trifle  to  that  direction,  Devers  inclined 
to  his  right,  and  ten  minutes  later  found  it  swinging 
around  in  front  of  him,  already  broad  and  deep  and 
obliquely  crossing  his  path.  Either  he  must  dismount 
and  lead  down  the  abrupt  declivity  and  up  the  oppo 
site  bank,  or,  keeping  along  the  bluff,  follow  the  wind 
ings  of  the  ravine.  One  wrong  step  had  led  with  him 
to  another.  There  is  a  fatality  about  such  things  that 
besets  the  truest  of  men  and  bedevils  the  best  inten 
tions.  The  more  he  followed  the  right  bank  the  far 
ther  west  of  south  it  bore  him,  and  Devers  hid  his 
compass  with  his  conscience  in  the  breast  of  his  hunt 
ing-shirt,  and  found  relief  in  renewed  expletives.  It 


UNDER  FIRE.  95 

was  Davies  who  had  to  urge  his  horse  to  the  lope  to 
overtake  the  command  so  steadily  pulling  away  from 
him.  He  wondered  who  the  poor  fellows  could  be 
who  seemed  to  have  given  out  and  were  being  dragged 
along  on  the  travois,  but  it  soon  became  necessary  for 
him  to  descend  into  the  depths  of  the  ravine,  down 
along  a  tributary  break,  and  then  even  in  nearing  he 
lost  sight  of  them  until,  after  another  canter  and  a 
hard  pull  up  the  opposite  slope,  he  came  at  last  sud 
denly  face  to  face  with  his  captain.  Murray  by  this 
time,  his  horse  entirely  used  up,  was  far  to  the  rear. 

"It's  an  hour  since  I  sent  for  you,  Mr.  Davies," 
began  the  captain,  sternly.  "What  in  God's  name 
has  kept  you  so  long  ?" 

"I  could  come  no  quicker,  sir,"  was  the  reply, 
given  in  respectful  yet  remonstrative  tone.  "My 
horse " 

"  Oh,  you've  got  the  best  horse  in  the  battalion, 
and  he  carries  the  lightest  weight/'  said  the  captain, 
angrily  ;  "  physically  and  intellectually  both,  by  God  !" 
he  added  to  himself.  "  You  must  have  been  far  off 
your  course  to  have  been  so  long  reaching  me." 

"I  was  heading  straight  for  the  fire,  captain, — 
straight  as  men  could  go.  I  kept  it  in  sight  every 
minute  from  the  time  we  crossed  the  crest  yonder," 
said  Davies,  his  tired,  haggard  eyes  looking  squarely 
into  those  of  his  commander  instead  of  seeking  sym 
pathetic  glance  from  the  pale,  drawn  faces  of  the  silent 
troopers  nearest  him. 

"  Well,  then,  that  is  your  excuse,  I  suppose,  for 
allowing  men  to  straggle  in  defiance  of  my  orders." 

"  It  is  partially  so,  sir,  partially  not.     I  knew  these 


96  UNDER  FIRE. 

were  the  orders  early  in  the  campaign,  but  ever  since 
we  ran  out  of  rations  Mullen  and  Phillips,  as  well  as 
dozens  of  other  men  in  the  regiment,  have  been  out 
hunting  on  the  flanks  every  day.  They  never  stopped 
to  ask  permission  this  time.  I  never  knew  that  they 
were  gone  until  they  were  out  of  sight.  I  supposed, 
of  course,  they  wouldn't  be  away  so  long." 

"  I  have  told  you  more  than  once,  Mr.  Davies,  that 
you  were  reckless  of  my  instructions,  and  I've  sent  for 
you  to  show,  once  and  for  all,  what  it  has  cost.  Stand 
aside  there  !"  he  said  sternly  to  the  men,  whom  some 
instinct  of  pity  had  prompted  to  gather  between  them 
and  the  stiffening  forms  of  the  dead.  "  There  are  your 
hunters, — two  of  my  best  men,  Mr.  Davies,  and  who 
but  you  is  responsible  for  this  ?" 

For  a  moment  the  young  officer  gazed  as  though 
stricken  with  sudden  horror,  his  blue  eyes  staring,  his 
gaunt,  pinched  features  ghastly  white,  and  then  Ser 
geant  Haney  and  another  trooper  sprang  from  their 
horses  and  ran  to  his  side.  Weak,  worn,  starved,  he 
had  quailed  at  the  dreadful  sight,  and  was  toppling 
headforemost  to  the  ground,  swooning  away. 

When  half  an  hour  later  the  captain  with  his  silent 
and  gloomy  party  had  resumed  his  march  for  the  river, 
only  with  the  field-glasses  could  occasional  glimpses 
be  had  of  the  main  command  far  away  to  the  south 
west  in  the  gathering  dusk.  Lieutenant  Calvert,  with 
his  invalid  corps,  was  dragging  wearily  after  them, 
something  like  two  miles  away  over  the  rolling  surface, 
sometimes  dipping  out  of  sight  among  the  swales  and 
coulees,  sometimes  crawling  over  some  low  wave,  and 
Davies,  restored  to  consciousness  and  accompanied  by 


UNDER   FIRE.  97 

one  of  Devers's  oldest  troopers,  Sergeant  McGrath, 
had  once  more  ridden  away  to  join  his  distant  and 
isolated  party.  Just  before  it  grew  too  dark  to  see 
anything  at  all  lie  was  faintly  visible  at  the  top  of  the 
divide  where  he  and  the  sergeant  had  halted,  evidently 
searching  in  the  gloom  of  the  lowlands  beyond  for 
sign  of  the  squad  he  had  left  over  an  hour  before. 
Then  they  disappeared  and  were  seen  no  more. 

Ten  miles  up-stream,  around  rousing  camp-fires,  in 
the  thick  of  the  timber,  the  main  body  of  the  expedi 
tion — their  lately  starving  comrades — were  holding 
high  carnival.  Men  and  horses  were  astonishing  their 
stomachs  with  dainties  to  which  they  had  long  been 
unaccustomed,  for  wagons  had  come  out  from  the 
settlements  to  meet  them,  pouring  in  all  the  afternoon, 
and,  mindful  of  his  detached  battalion,  the  colonel  had 
presently  despatched  three  or  four  of  these  welcome 
loads,  well  guarded,  down  the  winding  river  in  search 
of  Warren,  with  instructions  to  bivouac  at  once  and 
feast,  and  at  nightfall  they  had  met  him,  halted  at  the 
river  after  the  luckless  pursuit.  The  wagons  were  un 
loaded  on  the  spot,  and  two  of  them  pushed  on  out  to 
meet  Calvert,  and  be  loaded  up  again  with  his  ex 
hausted  plodders,  while  scouts,  mounted  on  the  draught 
mules  that  had  had  so  long  and  hard  a  pull  all  day, 
and  yet  were  stronger  and  fresher  than  the  starving 
horses,  were  sent  on  down-stream  in  search  of  Devers. 
With  these  latter  went  a  pencilled  note  from  the  bat 
talion  commander  as  follows : 

"  Rations  here  in  plenty.  Unless  you  and  Davies 
are  used  up,  you'd  better  come  along  to  camp.  We'll 
keep  bright  fires  burning  to  guide  you.  I  presume 


98  UNDER   FIRE. 

you've  seen  no  Indians,  or  we'd  have  heard  from  you 
before  now." 

In  sending  this  letter  Major  Warren  assumed  two 
things :  first,  that  Devers  had  carried  out  his  orders, 
crossed  the  long  spur  that  jutted  down  almost  to  the 
stream  at  its  deep  concave  bend,  and  then,  moving 
south,  had  kept  Davies  in  sight,  if  not  actually  in 
touch.  Second,  that  Davies  had  carried  out  his  orders, 
investigated  the  fire,  and  then  rtyoined  his  captain. 
For,  reasoned  the  major,  had  Davies  been  attacked, 
Devers  would  have  known  it,  supported  him  at  once, 
and  sent  word  to  us.  Men  instructed  to  watch  for 
signals  from  the  ridge  had  reported  that  nothing  had 
been  seen,  which  surely  would  not  have  been  the  case 
had  Devers  desired  to  communicate.  He  assumed 
further  that  Davies  must  now  be  somewhere  about  the 
point  where  the  spur  sank  to  the  general  level  of  the 
valley,  some  eight  or  nine  miles  down-stream,  too  far 
to  send  a  wagon  in  the  dark  where  there  was  no  road, 
but  not  too  far  for  men  to  march,  with  rations  as  their 
reward. 

"  Ride  straight  for  that  point/'  said  he  to  the  ser 
geant  who  was  to  carry  the  note,  "and  watch  for  their 
fires  in  case  they  have  camped."  And  the  sergeant 
and  his  companions — two  wiry  troopers  whom  nothing 
seemed  to  daunt  or  tire — had  ridden  away  on  their 
ambling  mules,  their  own  stomachs  warmed  with  hot 
coifee  and  bread  and  bacon,  and  their  soldier  maws 
crammed  with  that  most  beneficent  and  comforting  of 
frontier  luxuries, — navy  plug.  What  wras  a  night  ride 
after  their  weeks  of  marching  to  the  joy  of  being  first 
to  announce  full  rations  for  all  hands!  They  had 


UNDER  FIRE.  99 

gone  only  half-way,  perhaps  four  miles,  when  from 
somewhere  in  the  timber  to  their  right  front,  certainly 
not  more  than  five  hundred  yards  ahead,  they  came 
suddenly  in  view  of  something  at  which  each  man 
instantly  reined  in,  and  the  sergeant,  springing  from 
his  saddle,  grabbed  his  mule  by  the  nose.  "Grab 
yours,  too,"  he  muttered,  hoarsely  ;  "  for  God's  sake 
don't  let  the  damn  fools  bray."  And  in  another  in 
stant  each  of  the  astonished  and  protesting  brutes  was 
grabbed  accordingly. 

"  Sure  it  must  be  the  camp  of  '  B'  Troop,"  said  the 
other  man,  resentfully.  "  Indians  wouldn't  be  light 
ing  camp-fires  so  close  to  us." 

"  It  can't  be  the  captain,"  answered  Sergeant  Rice, 
with  emphasis  he  well  remembered  and  spoke  of  long 
months  later.  "  I  heard  the  major's  orders  to  him, 
and  he  couldn't  be  this  side  of  that  point  without 
having  disobeyed  them." 

But  just  then,  soft  and  faint,  sad  and  plaintive  and 
low,  there  came  floating  on  the  night  wind  the  familiar 
notes  of  the  sweetest  of  trumpet  calls,  and  Rice  turned 
to  his  comrades  in  amaze.  "  It  is  old  Differs,  by  Jupi 
ter  !  Who  but  he  would  be  sounding  taps  with  Indians 
on  every  side  ?  Does  the  darn  crank  think  that  worn- 
out  men  can't  go  to  sleep  without  it?"  Even  the 
soldiers,  then,  were  alive  to  some  of  the  captain's 
peculiarities.  Even  they  could  not  do  him  justice. 
Even  Rice  supposed  that  Devers,  rejoicing  in  being 
once  more  freed  from  the  supervision  of  superior 
authority  which  he  so  cordially  hated  and  so  persist 
ently  strove  to  evade,  was  celebrating  the  event  by 
resuming  the  sounding  of  unnecessary  bugle  calls,  pro- 


100  UNDER  FIRE. 

hibited  for  night  use  during  the  recent  campaign.  But 
neither  the  sergeant  nor  his  comrades  dreamed  that  it 
was  in  its  other,  in  its  saddest  significance,  the  sweet 
old  call  was  sounding, — that  Devers  and  his  men  were 
bidding  the  last  farewell,  and  piping  "  lights  out"  to 
them  who  rode  forth  gallantly  at  morn,  only  at  sun 
down  to  be  numbered  with  the  dead. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

MORNING  dawned  over  the  bivouacs  along  the 
stream  in  hilarity  unknown  for  previous  weeks.  The 
sun  that  for  a  fortnight  had  refused  his  face,  and  sent 
wet  skies  to  weep  in  sympathy  with  the  hungering 
column,  now  that  the  troopers  no  longer  cared  a  rap 
whether  he  sulked  or  shone,  came  forth  in  all  his 
glory  to  surround  and  beam  upon  and  shower  con 
gratulation  as  do  mundane  friends  who  hold  aloof 
when  days  are  dark  and  troublous,  yet  swarm  like 
bees  when  dazzling  and  unexpected  prosperity  bursts 
upon  the  lately  fallen.  Merrily  rang  the  reveille  as 
"jocund  day"  came  riding  o'*er  the  misty  mountain- 
tops.  With  joke  and  song  and  laughter  answered 
the  war-worn  men,  scores  of  whom  had  alternately 
dozed  and  cooked  and  eaten  and  drunk  all  the  live 
long  night.  Vain  were  couusels  of  captains  and  doc 
tors.  Soldier  stomachs  that  could  tackle  mule  and 
horse  meat  could  stand  any  load,  said  the  boys,  and 
loaded  accordingly.  Cheer  and  laughter  and  merry 
making,  fun  and  chaff  and  jollity,  ran  through  the 


FIRE.  101 


ranks,  where  all,  but  another  sua  .!(£&&, '-was  silence 
and  despond.  The  rough  campaign  wtu  MTU .'ti« -ally 
over.  Only  scattered  bands  of  hostMes'  remained,  In 
this  part  of  the  country  at  least.  Rest  and  recupera 
tion  for  those  "  tatterdemalions''  would  be  the  enforced 
order  of  the  day  for  a  month  to  come,  for  while  they 
might  readily  and  speedily  build  up,  it  would  take 
many  a  week  to  remount  the  column  or  restore  such 
horses  as  remained.  Here  among  the  cotton  woods, 
with  fire  and  water  and  food  at  hand,  the  men  could 
have  loafed  in  comfort  and  content  a  month,  if  need  be ; 
but  here  was  no  grass,  and  barely  a  nibble  of  oats 
could  be  distributed  for  each  surviving  horse  from  the 
scanty  supply  hurried  forward  the  previous  day.  Be 
fore  noon,  therefore,  after  another  morning  devoted 
principally  to  breakfasting,  the  trumpets  were  sound 
ing  "  boots  and  saddles."  No  need  to  sound  "  The 
General"  with  its  stirring  summons  to  "  Strike  your 
tents  and  march  away,"  for  tents  had  long  months 
before  been  struck — by  the  pen  of  the  commander — 
from  the  list  of  camp  equipage  to  be  taken  to  the  field. 
u  We  were  only  waiting  for  Warren  to  come  on,"  ex 
plained  an  aide  of  the  general  to  a  regimental  com 
mander,  "  and  we've  sent  him  word  to  meet  us  on  the 
Birchwood  farther  up  among  the  hills.  We'll  camp 
there  to-night.  What  kept  him,  do  you  suppose?" 

But  the  colonel  couldn't  imagine.  Away  down  the 
valley  to  the  eastward  Warren's  men  had  slept,  as  they 
had  marched,  much  later, — those  of  them  who  could 
sleep  at  all,  for  all  through  the  night  there  had  been 
cause  of  disturbance  to  more  than  a  few  of  the  com 
mand.  It  was  late  before  the  demands  of  hunger  were 

9* 


102  UNDER  FIRE. 

abased  .'Little  fires  blazed  all  through  the  timber, 
.•Hid- men  cooked  and  ate  until  they  could  eat  and  drink 
and  cook  no  in'ore;  Then  the  luxury  of  tobacco  kept 
many  awake.  Then  came  advanced  troopers  to  say 
Devers  was  coming  in,  and  despite  the  fact  that  two 
good  and  gallant  comrades  would  no  more  gather  with 
them  about  the  camp-fire,  there  went  up  a  cheer  of 
welcome,  and  many  men  ran  to  meet  the  worn  arrivals, 
to  take  their  horses  to  feed  and  water  so  that  the 
masters  might  be  fed  at  once,  and  the  major's  first 
thought  had  been  to  welcome  his  subordinate  and  fill 
him  with  comfort  before  requiring  of  him  detailed 
account  of  the  day's  doings.  "  I  hardly  expected  you 
so  soon,"  he  said ;  "  but  here's  coffee  all  ready,  baker's 
broad  fresh  in  town  yesterday, — think  of  it ! — and  bacon 
and  flapjacks.  Your  men  must  be  pretty  tired." 

"  They're  about  used  up,"  said  Devers ;  "  but  of 
course  when  we  got  your  instructions  to  come  on  we 
came." 

"  Oh,  I  didn't  mean  you  to  come  on  if  you  were  in 
camp  for  the  night.  Our  men  would  rather  eat  than 
sleep  and  we  thought  yours  would  ;  but  here — swallow 
this,"  said  he,  hospitably.  "  This  is  no  time  for  busi 
ness.  I  haven't  tasted  anything  so  good  as  that  coffee 
in  years." 

"  Thanks,"  said  Devers,  pulling  gratefully  at  the 
steaming  tin.  "  That  is  good.  I'm  glad,  for  my  part, 
you  told  us  to  come  along,"  he  went  on,  reverting 
again  to  the  subject  of  the  major's  note.  "  We 
shouldn't  have  done  anything  of  the  kind,  of  course, 
otherwise, — especially  with  Davies  still  out." 

"  Wind  !     Isn't  Davies  with  you  ?"  asked  Warren, 


VNDER   FIRE.  103 

with  sudden  anxiety  and  suspicion.  "  Why,  I 
thought " 

"  "Well,  we  couldn't  wait  for  him,  you  know,  in  face 
of  your  directions/7  said  the  captain,  his  eyes  glancing 
quickly,  almost  furtively,  from  one  to  another  of  the 
bearded  faces  about  him,  for  Truman,  Hastings,  Cal- 
vert,  and  all  the  officers  of  the  little  command  had 
gathered.  "  Of  course,  I  sent  couriers  right  out  to 
guide  him " 

"  Why — what  I  meant  was  for  you  to  bring  him 
along/7  said  the  major,  gravely,  yet  not  unkindly. 
"  I  felt  sure,  of  course,  you  were  within  communi 
cating  distance  at  least,  even  if  he  hadn't  come  in. 
What  did  that  smoke  turn  out  to  be  when  you  got  a 
closer  look  at  it?" 

"  We — didn't  get  any  closer  look,"  answered  Devers, 
in  apparent  surprise.  "You  ordered  me  to  bury  my 
dead  and  then  go  on.  We  had  just  buried  them  when 
your  next  orders  reached  us, — to  join  you  at  once. 
These,  of  course,  superseded  the  others." 

There  was  profound  silence.  The  major  stood  by 
the  camp-fire,  his  hands  clasped  behind  his  back,  look 
ing  full  in  the  face  of  the  troop  commander,  all  the 
old  sayings  that  he  had  ever  heard  with  regard  to 
Devers  crowding  upon  him  now.  When  promoted  to 
the  regiment  only  just  in  time  to  join  it  on  this  hard 
campaign,  and  when  assigned  to  the  command  of  this 
battalion  in  which  Devers  was  senior  captain,  the  colo 
nel  himself  had  said,  "'Be  on  your  guard  with  Devers. 
He's  the  trickiest  of  subordinates."  Old  Riggs,  lieu 
tenant-colonel  commanding  the  Twelfth,  had  remarked, 
"So  Devers  is  in  your  battalion,  is  he?  Well,  when 


104  UNDER  FIRE. 

you  want  him  to  do  anything  you  stand  over  him 
while  he's  at  it,  or  else  do  it  yourself."  An  intimate 
friend  and  classmate  whom  he  had  not  seen  for  years 
had  given  the  new  major  this  significant  pointer : 
"  There's  a  man  who  could  be  one  of  the  most  valuable 
officers  in  service  if  he  devoted  to  obeying  an  order 
one-tenth  the  energy  he  throws  into  finding  a  way  of 
avoiding  it,"  Yet,  in  the  honesty  and  earnestness  of 
his  own  character,  Warren  was  slow  to  suspect  a  fellow- 
soldier  of  disloyalty.  The  campaign  had  gone  on 
without  special  friction,  though  he  remembered  that  he 
had  heard  Hastings  swearing  sotto  voce  more  than  once  at 
Devere's  cantankerous  ways,  and  he  recalled  now  two 
or  three  incidents — little  things — in  which  Devers 
claimed  to  have  misunderstood  instructions;  but  this 
was  so  glaring,  so  gross  a  departure  from  both  the 
spirit  and  letter  of  the  orders  he  had  given  when  face 
to  face  with  the  captain,  that  for  a  moment  or  two  he 
was  at  a  loss  what  to  say.  He  was  indignant,  too,  but 
it  was  a  rule  of  his  to  control  his  temper  and  never 
speak  to  a  subordinate  in  wrath.  He  had  broken  it 
that  morning  and  was  sorry  ;  so  Avhen  at  last  he  trusted 
himself  to  speak,  he  said, — 

"  It  must  have  been  more  than  six  hours  ago  that  I 
told  you  to  bury  those  two  men  and  then  go  on. 
Surely,  captain,  you  could  not  have  taken  all  this 
time." 

"It  was  nearly  five  o'clock,  sir,  when  you  ordered 
me  to  bury  my  dead  as  well  as  I  could,  and  only  a 
little  after  eight  when  we  finished  it;  meantime,  we 
had  to  march  seven  or  eight  miles  before  we  could  find 
a  place  where  we  could  bury  them  at  all  well." 


UNDER  FIRE.  105 

"  Why,  I  meant  you  to  bury  them  right  then  and 
there,  just  where  you  were,  not  go  marching  in  search 
of  a  place." 

"  But  we  couldn't  bury  them  there ;  major,  I  had  no 
tools  to  dig  graves  in  a  hard  prairie " 

"  Then  you  mean  that  you  failed  to  go  on  after 
Da  vies, — failed  to  support  him? — that  you  haven't 
seen  him  since  I  gave  those  orders?  My  heaven, 
Captain  Devers  !  I  told  you  never  to  let  him  out  of 
your  sight." 

"  Oh,  he  wasn't  out  of  sight  until  darkness, — that  is, 
he  was  frequently  in  sight.  I  not  only  saw,  but  com 
municated  with  him  until  that  time." 

"  Thank  God  for  that,  at  least !  If  he  wasn't  attacked 
before  dark  he's  probably  safe, — Indians  are  cowards 
in  the  dark.  He  ought  to  be  coming  along  presently, 
I  suppose.  He  couldn't  have  been  more  than  a  mile 
or  so  east  of  you." 

But  to  this  observation,  half  query,  half  self-con 
solation,  Captain  Devers  made  no  verbal  response. 
He  bowed  his  head  as  he  took  a  long  swig  at  his  can  of 
coffee,  and  then  a  big  bite  into  a  ham  sandwich  of 
portentous  size.  The  major  and  one  or  two  others 
considered  it  a  nod  of  assent,  and  ascribed  to  raven 
ous  hunger  the  captain's  failure  to  respond  by  word  of 
mouth.  Partially  relieved  of  his  anxiety  on  Davies's 
account  and  unwilling  to  spoil  a  gentleman's  first  sup 
per  after  such  long  deprivation,  the  battalion  com 
mander  turned  away,  saying, — 

"  Well,  eat  and  drink  till  you're  comforted,  anyhow, 
captain,  then  we  can  hear  all  about  it.  I'll  take  a 
smoke  meantime."  Truman  and  Hastings  joined  him 


106  UNDER  FIRE. 

at  a  fallen  cottonwood  a  few  yards  away,  and  the  three 
puffed  their  pipes  and  thanked  Providence  for  the 
mercies  that  had  come  with  the  close  of  the  day.  And 
then  the  officer  of  the  guard  appeared  to  ask  a  question 
about  the  posting  of  the  pickets,  and,  leaving  the  others 
with  Devers,  the  major  strode  off  with  the  officer 
through  the  timber  to  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  security 
of  the  horses  for  the  night,  and  when  he  returned — 
not  having  been  gone  ten  minutes — Devers  had  dis 
appeared. 

"  I  wanted  to  hear  his  report,"  said  Warren,  "  and 
told  him  so.  I  supposed  he  understood."  To  which 
neither  of  his  subordinates  made  reply.  When  ten 
minutes  more  elapsed  and  Devers  did  not  come,  Has 
tings,  noting  the  major's  impatience,  called  to  the 
orderly  trumpeter  sitting  at  the  neighboring  fire, — 

"  Raney,  go  and  see  if  Captain  Devers  is  over  with 
his  troop  anywhere, — the  major  desires  to  see  him." 
Raney  was  gone  full  ten  minutes,  and  when  he  re 
turned  it  was  to  say  that  Devers's  first  sergeant  said 
the  captain  had  given  orders  that  all  talk  must  stop  so 
that  the  worn-out  men  could  rest,  and  the  captain  him 
self,  rolled  in  his  blanket,  was  already  sound  asleep. 

"  Well,  I  swear  !"  exclaimed  the  major.  "  Didn't 
you  understand  me  to  say  I  wanted  to  hear  all  about 
his  march  as  soon  as  he  finished  supper  ?" 

"  I  certainly  did,"  replied  Captain  Truman,  with  an 
accent  on  the  I  that  meant  volumes. 

"  So  did  I,"  growled  Hastings ;  but  he  never  could 
bear  Devers,  who  was  persistently  distorting  or  mis 
understanding  the  orders  the  adjutant  was  compelled 
to  convey  to  him. 


UNDER  FIRE.  107 

"Well,  let  him  sleep/'  said  Warren,  finally.  "I 
suppose  he's  tired  out,  and  very  probably  Davies  will 
speedily  come  in." 

But  midnight  came  and  no  Davies.  Out  on  the 
prairie — now  dimly  lighted  by  the  rays  of  the  waning 
moon — the  pickets  at  the  east  had  descried  no  moving 
objects.  Every  now  and  then  the  yelp  of  a  coyote  on 
one  side  of  camp  would  be  echoed  far  over  at  the 
other.  These,  with  an  occasional  paw  or  snort  from 
the  side-lined  herd,  and  the  murmuring  rush  of  the 
river  over  its  gravelly  bed,  were  the  only  sounds  that 
drifted  to  the  night- watchers  from  the  sleeping  bivouac. 
Towards  one  o'clock  the  sergeant  of  the  guard  came 
out  to  take  a  peep.  Later,  about  two,  Lieutenant 
Sanders,  officer  of  the  guard,  a  plucky  little  chap  of 
whom  the  men  were  especially  fond,  made  his  way 
around  the  chain  of  posts  and  stayed  some  time  peer 
ing  with  his  glass  over  the  dim  vista  of  prairie  to  the 
eastward. 

"  I  declare  I  thought  I  saw  something  moving  out 
there/'  he  muttered,  after  long  study.  "  Are  you  sure 
you've  seen  or  heard  nothing?"  he  inquired  of  the 
silent  sentry. 

"  Not  a  thing,  lieutenant,  beyond  coyotes  or  Indian 
signals,  I  can't  tell  which.  They  keep  at  respectful 
distance,  whatever  they  are." 

"  Well,  even  if  Mr.  Davies's  horses  were  too  used 
up  to  come,  the  couriers  ought  to  have  got  back  long 
ago.  Tell  them  to  find  me  as  soon  as  they  come  in," 
said  he,  and  went  back  to  his  saddle  pillow  in  the 
heart  of  the  grove.  At  its  edge  a  solitarv  figure  was 
standing  gazing  out  into  the  night. 


108  UNDER  FIRE. 

"That  you,  Sanders?"  hailed  a  voice  in  low  tone. 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  lieutenant,  shortly,  for  he  rec 
ognized  Devers  and  he  didn't  like  him. 

"Isn't  Davies  in  yet?" 

"  No,  and  it's  two  o'clock." 

"  Oh,  he'll  turn  up  all  right/'  said  the  captain,  in 
airy  confidence.  "  It  was  all  absurd  sending  him  out 
to  scout  a  smoke, — as  if  we  hadn't  seen  and  smelled 
smoke  enough  this  summer  to  last  a  lifetime.  He's 
probably  camped  down  the  valley  somewhere,  and 
they're  all  waiting  for  morning.  I'm  not  worrying 
about  him." 

"  No,  I  judge  not,"  muttered  Sanders  to  himself,  as 
he  trudged  on  in  the  dark.  "  You're  simply  keeping 
awake  for  the  fun  of  the  thing."  But  even  Devers 
got  to  sleep  at  last,  and  when  he  woke  it  was  with  a 
sudden  start,  with  broad  daylight  streaming  in  his 
eyes,  and  stir  and  bustle  and  low-toned  orders  and 
rapid  movement  among  the  men,  and  Hastings  was 
stirring  him  up  with  insubordinate  boot  and  speaking 
in  tones  suggestive  of  neither  respect  nor  esteem. 

"  Come,  tumble  up,  captain ;  we're  all  wanted ; 
Davies  has  been  cut  off  and  massacred." 

Already  his  orderly  had  led  up  the  captain's  horse, 
pricking  his  ears  and  sniffing  excitedly  around  him, 
and  with  trembling  hands  the  young  German  was 
dragging  out  from  among  the  blankets  the  captain's 
saddle,  the  hot  tears  falling  as  he  stooped.  His  own 
brother  was  of  Davies's  party.  Devers  was  on  his 
feet  in  an  instant,  dismayed,  and,  buckling  on  his  re 
volver,  he  went  striding  through  the  trees  to  where 
Warren  stood,  pale  and  distressed,  questioning  a  hag- 


UNDER   FIRE.  109 

gard  trooper, — one  of  the  couriers  sent  on  for  Davies 
the  previous  evening.  Devers  burst  in  with  interrupt 
ing  words,  and  was  instantly  coolly  checked. 

"Never  mind  now,  captain.  Mount  at  once  and 
get  your  men  in  saddle."  Nor  would  Warren  see  or 
speak  with  him,  as  with  a  hundred  troopers  at  his 
heels — all  whose  horses  were  even  moderately  fit  for  a 
ten-mile  trot — the  major  led  the  way  down  the  valley, 
a  few  eager  scouts  cantering  on  before.  All  Devers 
could  learn  as  they  jogged  along  was  that  Tate,  one  of 
the  couriers,  had  ridden  in  at  seven  on  an  exhausted 
mule  to  say  that  not  until  after  dawn  had  they  found 
Davies's  party, — seven  of  them, — stone  dead,  stripped, 
scalped,  gashed,  mutilated  almost  beyond  recognition, 
far  out  on  the  slopes  east  of  that  fatal  spur  over  which 
the  September  sun  had  risen  before  he  came,  leaving 
his  stunned  comrade  trailing  hopelessly  behind. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE  prairie  sod  was  torn  by  the  hoofs  of  a  hundred 
ponies.  That  was  evident.  All  around  a  little  sink 
in  the  surface  at  a  distance  of  several  hundred  yards 
the  warriors  must  have  dashed  and  circled  for  full  an 
hour.  Here  along  the  rim  of  the  shallow  basin,  each 
behind  the  bloated  and  stiffening  carcass  of  his  horse, 
— each  surrounded  by  threescore  copper  shells,  show 
ing  that  he  had  fought  till  hope  and  ammunition  both 
were  gone, — lay  the  poor  remains  of  the  gallant  boys 
who  had  ridden  silently  away  in  obedience  to  their 

10 


110  UNDER  FIRE. 

orders  on  the  previous  afternoon, — recognizable  now 
only  by  their  teeth  or  some  still  ungashed  body  mark. 
How  long  they  had  pluckily,  cheerily  held  out,  confi 
dent  of  the  speedy  coming  of  the  comrades  from  over  that 
westward  spur,  and  therefore  less  miserly  of  their  lead 
and  eager  to  stretch  some  of  their  yelling  foes  upon  the 
sward,  could  now  only  be  conjectured.  Little  by  little 
their  fierce,  defiant  fire  had  slackened.  Little  by  little 
confidence  had  waned,  and  doubt  and  dread  replaced  it. 
Some,  probably,  had  been  earlier  shot  by  the  storm  of 
centring  bullets;  some,  possibly,  had  sent  their  last 
shot  into  the  reeling  brain, — death  by  one's  own  hand 
being  better  at  least  than  by  slow  and  fiendish  torture ; 
and  at  last,  probably  just  at  dusk,  the  triumphant 
savages  were  able  to  close  in  upon  their  helpless  prey 
and  reap  their  reward  of  scalps  and  plunder  and  wreak 
their  fury  on  a  mute  and  defenceless  foe. 

But  in  a  search  of  full  an  hour  not  a  sign  had 
Warren's  best  scouts  discovered  of  Davies  or  his  com 
panion.  The  Indian  trail,  that  of  a  war-party  of  at 
least  fifty  or  sixty  braves,  led  away  southward  again, 
into  and  through  the  timber  in  the  distant  river  bottom, 
and  there  it  became  scattered,  most  of  the  party  seem 
ing  to  have  ridden  on  towards  the  reservation  in  the 
darkness  of  the  night,  while  others  turned  up-stream, 
and  their  pony-tracks  led  towards  the  point  where 
Warren's  battalion  had  bivouacked.  These  were  prob 
ably  the  causes  of  the  flitting  shadows  Sanders  had 
detected  far  out  on  the  prairie, — these  the  owls  and 
coyotes  whose  weird  cries  had  at  intervals  disturbed 
the  silence  of  the  night.  Solemnly,  sadly,  now,  the 
burial-parties  labored.  The  soil  was  comparatively 


UNDER  FIRE.  Ill 

soft  in  the  neighboring  ravine, — much  more  so  than 
higher  up  the  slopes  where  the  two  crack  shots  had 
fallen  earlier  in  the  afternoon, — and  here,  with  picket- 
pins  and  a  spade  or  two  which  happened  to  be  with 
the  pack-train,  a  trench  was  scooped  out,  into  which 
the  poor  remains  were  lowered  and  then  covered  with 
stones,  dragged  from  the  depths  of  the  neighboring 
coulee.  It  took  some  hours  to  finish  the  sad  duty, 
and  meanwhile  sharp-eyed  scouts  were  busily  occupied 
striving  to  determine  what  had  become  of  Davies  and 
Sergeant  McGrath. 

In  this  work  the  major  himself  took  the  lead,  and 
here  Devers's  statements  had  to  be  drawn  upon.  Old 
Indian-fighters  pointed  out  many  a  significant  sign  to 
sustain  the  theory  that  the  fight  must  have  lasted  full 
an  hour, — the  trampled  condition  of  the  turf, — the 
quantities  of  shells  lying  behind  every  little  hummock 
or  ridge  in  the  surrounding  prairie  that  commanded 
the  position  of  the  defence  or  afforded  shelter  from  its 
fire.  Down  in  the  very  ravine  in  which  the  bodies 
were  buried,  full  four  hundred  yards  from  the  scene  of 
their  desperate  stand,  the  soft,  sandy  soil  was  pawed 
and  trodden  by  waiting  war-ponies,  whose  riders,  lying 
flat  on  their  stomachs  along  the  bank  above,  had  kept 
their  watch  upon  the  besieged,  firing  whenever  head  or 
hand  appeared  above  their  carcass  fortification.  The 
whole  ingenuity  of  the  Indian  plan  became  apparent 
as  the  situation  was  studied.  Noting  after  ten  o'clock 
that  morning  that  the  battalion  was  no  longer  march 
ing  due  south,  but  had  turned,  heading  southwest 
straight  away  for  the  landmark  of  the  valley, — that 
distant,  black,  pine-crested  peak, — the  lurking  warriors 


112  UNDER  FIRE. 

had  devised  their  scheme  to  lure  a  scouting  detachment 
away  from  the  support  of  the  column.  Far  down  in 
the  river  bottom,  ten  miles  away  to  the  left  of  the 
trail,  they  had  built  at  the  springs  a  "  shack"  from 
the  relics  of  some  miner's  outfit  captured  thereabouts 
earlier  in  the  summer,  and  waiting  until  the  head  of 
the  column  was  approaching  the  crest  of  the  water-shed 
to  the  north,  set  fire  to  their  pile  and  then  secreted 
their  main  body  in  a  deep  ravine  to  await  results, 
while  small  parties  were  thrown  well  forward  to  pick 
off  venturesome  individuals,  if  only  such  rode  out  in 
reconnoissance.  If  the  white  chief  "  bit"  and  detached 
a  small  party,  then  every  effort  was  to  be  made  to  keep 
the  battalion  occupied  and  interested, — to  draw  it  along, 
if  possible,  towards  the  southwest,— just  a  few  daring 
spirits  devoting  themselves  to  this  duty,  while  the 
stronger  party,  keeping  in  hiding  until  they  lured  it 
far  beyond  rescuing  distance,  gradually  encircled  the 
isolated  squad  and  at  last  pounced  upon  their  prey. 
It  is  no  new  device.  It  was  to  prevent  just  such  a  play 
that  Warren  had  ordered  Devers  with  his  troop  to 
keep  midway,  holding  Davies's  little  party  in  sight 
and  support  and  the  main  column  in  communication. 
Had  Devers  obeyed  the  instructions  given  him  and 
gone  on  down  along  that  jutting  spur  instead  of  far 
to  the  west  of  it,  the  catastrophe  would  have  been 
averted, — the  Indian  attack,  even  if  attempted,  could 
have  been  beaten  off. 

In  bitterness  of  spirit  the  major  was  riding  over  the 
field,  too  full  of  exasperation  as  yet  to  trust  himself 
to  send  for  and  speak  to  his  subordinate,  even  when  he 
felt  that  he  must  hold  conference  with  him  in  order  to 


UNDER  FIRE.  113 

determine  how  best  to  direct  the  search.  Twice  or 
thrice  had  Devers  essayed  to  open  communication  with 
his  chief  and  impress  him  with  his  views,  but  Warren 
had  sent  him  word  by  Hastings  to  supervise  at 
the  designated  point — which  he  himself  selected — the 
burial  of  the  men,  while  he,  the  major,  went  on  with 
the  search.  Time  and  again  it  was  noted  how  often 
Devers  would  climb  the  bank  and  anxiously  gaze  off 
to  the  west  toward  that  fatal  curtain, — the  spur  that 
separated  him  from  the  sacrificed  detachment  the  night 
before.  What  his  thoughts  were  could  only  be  con 
jectured,  but  'little  Sanders  seemed  to  hit  pretty  near 
the  mark  when  he  confided  to  Hastings  that  Differs 
didn't  seem  to  care  a  damn  whether  Warren  followed 
the  Indian  trail  or  not ;  what  he  was  afraid  of  was 
that  the  major  would  "get  onto"  his  own.  And  in 
deed  as  the  morning  wore  on  it  began  to  look  as 
though  that  were  what  the  major  was  bent  on  doing. 
The  scouting-parties  had  come  back  with  their  report 
of  what  they  had  found  in  the  river  bottom,  and  by 
this  time  Warren  with  his  escort  was  three  miles  over 
to  the  west  and  slowly  searching  along  the  east  face 
of  the  spur,  peeping  into  every  hollow  and  depression 
that  might  shelter  a  human  form  and  looking  every 
where  for  the  print  of  horses'  hoofs.  At  ten  o'clock 
he  had  sent  to  Devers  for  some  intelligent  non-com 
missioned  officer  who  could  point  out  about  where  they 
had  last  seen  Da  vies  as  he  crossed  the  ridge  returning 
to  his  men  at  sundown,  but  Devers  very  plausibly 
responded  that  while  it  might  not  be  difficult  to  do  so 
from  where  they  parted,  "just  over  on  the  west  side,"  it 
couldn't  be  reliably  done  from  so  far  to  the  east.  The 
h  10* 


114  UNDER  FIRE. 

reply  must  at  least  serve  to  delay  matters  awhile,  and 
every  moment  was  of  value  to  Devers. 

His  own  theory  was  that,  as  twilight  was  setting  in 
as  Davies  recrossed  the  ridge,  everything  beyond  in  the 
low  grounds  was  in  deep  obscurity.  The  attack  had 
probably  begun  about  the  time  the  young  officer,  with 
Murray,  first  crossed  the  ridge  in  obedience  to  the 
captain's  orders  to  report  to  him  in  person.  Less  than 
an  hour,  Devers  thought,  elapsed  before  he  could  again 
have  come  within  sight  of  the  spot  where  he  left  his 
little  command.  By  that  time  all  was  practically  over. 
In  the  gathering  darkness  and  in  the  glut  and  greed 
of  their  savage  triumph  the  Indians  had  crowded 
about  the  victims.  Davies  and  the  sergeant,  return 
ing,  had  been  allowed  unmolested  to  make  their  way 
well  down  toward  the  scene.  The  fire  in  the  bottom 
was  fed  to  lure  them  on  (it  was  still  smouldering  when 
Warren's  men  trotted  thither  in  the  morning),  and  the 
two  had  either  been  captured  alive  and  run  off  with 
the  main  body  to  grace  the  stake  at  the  scalp-dance  to 
be  held  with  fiendish  rejoicing  somewhere  beyond  dan 
ger  of  interruption,  or  else,  warned  in  some  way,  the 
two  had  sought  to  escape,  and  had  been  headed  off  and 
killed  in  some  of  the  still  unexplored  ravines  or 
coulees  farther  to  the  southwest.  In  either  case,  pro 
vided  the  major  did  not  persist  in  his  investigation 
and  so  discover  how  very  far  Devers  had  led  his  troop 
away  from  sight  or  support  of  Davies's  men,  and  how 
utterly  he  had  failed  to  carry  out  his  orders,  the  cap 
tain  felt  tolerably  confident  that  all  the  blame  would 
be  landed  where  it  properly  belonged, — on  the  shoul 
ders  of  the  dead  and  defenceless  lieutenant,  whose  re- 


UNDER  FIRE.   .  115 

luctance  to  undertake  the  duty  many  had  observed, 
and  whose  womanish  swoon  at  sight  of  the  slaughtered 
men  had  not  only  proved  his  unfitness  for  frontier  ser 
vice,  but  long  delayed  his  return  to  his  party.  Devers 
had  always  said  Davies  was  entirely  overrated  by  the 
colonel  and  Truman  and  others ;  he  had  held  all  sum 
mer  that  the  lieutenant  was  a  "  molly-coddle  ;"  he  had 
been  reproved  more  than  once  for  what  they  termed 
his  injustice  to  his  subaltern,  and  now  Davies  had 
proved  just  exactly  what  he  knew  he  would  prove, — 
a  carpet  knight,  a  prayer-meeting  soldier,  with  nei 
ther  grit  nor  brawn  nor  backbone;  and  if  he  was 
killed,  at  least  he  had  died  in  time  to  save  the  regi 
ment  from  having  to  blush  for  him  in  the  future. 
Devers  had  served  throughout  the  war  of  the  rebellion 
in  a  regiment  that  saw  no  end  of  hard  fighting,  but 
always  when  he  happened  to  be  on  sick-leave  or  de 
tached  service  of  some  kind,  for  in  all  of  his  years  of 
service  no  man  in  his  grade  or  corps  had  so  seldom 
been  under  fire,  either  in  the  South  or  on  the  plains. 
With  abilities  unquestioned  and  opportunities  second 
to  none,  it  was  nevertheless  observed  of  him  at  the 
close  of  the  four  years'  struggle  that  there,  at  least, 
was  a  man  who  hadn't  even  mustering  or  recruiting 
service  to  fall  back  upon  when  "  brevets'7  went  scatter 
ing  broadcast  over  the  army,  showering  like  the  rain 
upon  the  just  and  the  unjust.  He  had  lived  all  through 
it  without  having  become  distinguished  for  anything  that 
might  become  a  man,  winning  a  name  for  himself  prin 
cipally  for  consummate  skill  in  getting  out  of  what  he 
was  told  to  do  without  getting  into  a  scrape  or  out  of  the 
service.  He  became  a  tremendous  paper-fighter  in  the 


116  UNDER  FIRE. 

days  that  followed,  however,  and  like  some  of  our  war 
generals,  could  find  the  weak  points  in  the  armor  of 
his  comrades  if  he  couldn't  in  that  of  the  enemy.  He 
became  a  club-room  critic  of  other  fellows'  campaigns, 
companies,  or  conduct,  as  probably  the  most  effective 
way  of  diverting  attention  from  his  own.  He  sneered 
at  the  war  record  of  every  contemporary  who  had 
achieved  rank  superior  to  his  own,  as  with  hardly  an 
exception  every  one  of  them  had  done  so,  and  made 
the  burden  of  his  song  among  the  younger  men  the 
blunders,  faults,  and  follies  of  the  elders.  Without  a 
drop  of  Irish  blood  in  his  veins,  he  inspired  the  belief 
that  he  must  be  own  cousin  to  the  newly-landed  Hiber 
nian  who  announced  himself  as  "agin  the  govern- 
mint,"  for  post  and  regimental  commanders  without 
exception  found  him  the  most  adroit,  crafty,  sinuous, 
and  troublesome  of  captains, — one  who  was  forever 
doing  something  to  try  them,  yet  nothing  on  which 
they  could  try  him.  Well  he  knew  his  unpopularity 
and  sagely  judged  his  opportunities.  The  liberties  he 
had  dared  with  Warren  he  would  not  now  have  ven 
tured  with  Riggs,  or  Black  Bill,  or  old  Tintop,  one 
and  all  of  whom  had  learned  to  know  him  well,  and 
would  have  been  prepared  for  some  such  betrayal  of 
the  trust  reposed  in  him. 

He  had  worried  Black  Bill — long  time  his  post 
commander — to  the  verge  of  exasperation  with  his 
perpetual  hair-splitting  and  quibbling.  He  had  played 
his  last  trump  with  Tintop  early  in  the  campaign,  and 
received  that  grizzled  veteran's  rasping  intimation  that 
one  more  experiment  would  lead  to  arrest  and  court- 
martial,  and  received  it  with  every  appearance  of 


UNDER  FIRE.  117 

amaze  and  pain,  which  might  have  been  effective  had 
not  Hastings  been  called  upon  beforehand  to  give  his 
version  of  the  affair  that  led  to  it.  It  was  one  of  those 
constantly  recurring  examples  of  Devers's  "cussed- 
ness"  which  led  many  a  stout  cavalry  officer  to  set 
forth  just  what  he'd  do  with  Devers  if  he  only  had 
him  under  his  command,  yet  the  very  men  so  confident 
they  could  bring  him  to  time  were  not  infrequently 
the  ones  who  subsequently  found  him  too  adroit  for 
their  straightforward  methods.  Black  Bill  told  Tin- 
top  that  Devers  was  as  bad  as  the  Irishman's  flea, — put 
your  thumb  on  him  and  he  isn't  there.  "  I'll  cinch 
him,"  said  Tintop  in  reply,  "  if  he  tries  any  of  his 
damned  nonsense  on  me."  But  with  every  intention  of 
doing  his  level  best,  "  Topsy"  little  knew  the  infinite 
resources  of  the  man. 

One  of  Devers's  idiosyncrasies  was  a  hatred  of  doing 
things  as  anybody  else  did  them.  This  in  a  service 
where  absolute  uniformity  was  expected  was  prolific 
of  no  end  of  chafing.  In  every  garrison  where  his 
troop  was  stationed  he  had  become  notorious.  If  the 
other  companies  turned  out  in  white  gloves  at  retreat, 
Devers's  would  come  in  gauntlets.  When  dress  parade, 
dismounted,  was  ordered  at  Fort  Birney  one  mild 
November  evening,  he  marched  his  men  out  in  arctics 
and  fur  caps,  and  claimed  that  to  be  the  proper  full  dress 
for  the  season.  When  Colonel  Emerson  in  regimental 
orders  lauded  the  devotion  of  Sergeant  Foley,  who 
swam  the  icy  Missouri  with  despatches  from  Captain 
Cameron's  beleaguered  command,  and  ordered  a  hand 
some  collar  to  be  made  by  the  regimental  saddler  to  be 
worn  thereafter  by  his  gallant  gray,  now  transferred 


118  UNDER  FIRE. 

to  the  band  because  of  the  cuts  and  scars  he  had  re 
ceived  in  that  fierce  campaign,  Devers  similarly  deco 
rated  Trumpeter  Finnegan's  bull  terrier  "  Mike/'  who 
swam  the  Mini  Ska  in  pursuit  of  his  master  the  night 
of  the  wintry  dash  on  Tall  Bull's  village,  and  gravely 
paraded  "Mike"  with  the  troop  next  muster  day. 
These  and  a  score  of  similarly  annoying  yet  hardly 
punishable  attempts  to  bring  ridicule  upon  or  run 
counter  to  the  orders  of  his  commanders,  had  actually 
rendered  some  of  his  seniors  so  averse  to  having  him 
under  them  that  it  often  resulted  in  his  being  given 
independent  details,  lonely  detachment  duty,  "one- 
company  posts,"  and  similar  isolation  which  almost  any 
other  officer  would  have  shrunk  from,  but  that  Devers 
really  seemed  to  enjoy,  and,  from  having  been  so  much 
his  own  commanding  officer,  he  was  all  the  less  fitted 
to  render  prompt  and  cheerful  obedience  to  others  when 
they  again  had  to  have  him.  With  any  command 
greater  than  that  of  a  single  troop  he  had  never  been 
intrusted.  There  was  no  end  of  speculation  and  chaff 
around  the  camp-fires,  therefore,  early  in  the  summer, 
when  Devers,  most  unwillingly,  it  was  said,  was  hauled 
in  from  some  outlying  post  where  he  had  nothing  to 
do  but  hunt,  eat,  and  sleep,  and  reported  for  duty  on 
what  turned  out  to  be  the  toughest  of  Indian  cam 
paigns.  What  was  worse,  he  was  ordered  to  report  to 
Tintop,  and  now,  said  the  boys,  there  will  be  fun. 

Well,  there  was.  It  took  a  week  of  persistent 
"cinching"  to  get  Devers  and  his  troop  to  understand 
that  they  were  no  longer  an  independent  body,  but 
must  serve  under  the  orders  of  a  colonel  or  major. 
He  had  at  first  been  put  in  Bell's  battalion,  and  every 


UNDER   FIRE.  119 

time  the  colonel  pointed  out  a  fault  Devers  "  thought" 
that  was  as  Major  Bell  wanted  it,  and  when  Bell  called 
his  attention  to  some  irregularity,  Devers  had  under 
stood  Colonel  Winthrop  to  say  that  that  was  the  way 
it  should  be  done.  Bell  finally  said  that  he'd  be  damned 
if  he  wouldn't  rather  have  no  command  at  all  than 
one  with  Devers  in  it.  The  first  day  Devers's  horses 
were  herded  to  graze  far  out  on  the  slopes, — five  hun 
dred  yards  beyond  those  of  any  other  troop, — and  Tin- 
top  said  he  wished  Captain  Devers  hereafter  not  to 
allow  his  herd  to  be  driven  beyond  those  of  the  rest  of 
the  regiment.  Next  day  they  were  kicking  up  a  dust 
not  fifty  yards  from  Tintop' s  tent, — as  far  inside  the 
cordon  as  they  had  been  outside  before, — and  Devers 
plausibly  explained  that  he  wanted  to  be  sure  he  wasn't 
too  far  away.  The  third  day,  after  a  long  march  with 
Indians  on  every  hand,  Tintop  ordered  "  double  guards 
and  side  lines  when  the  herds  went  out  to  graze." 
The  horses  of  the  other  troops  were  ridden  out  by  the 
men  to  good  grazing-ground  some  five  hundred  yards 
from  the  bivouac  fires,  and  there  the  riders  slipped  off 
and  the  side  lines  were  slipped  on ;  but  Devers's  horses 
were  side-lined  as  soon  as  unsaddled,  and  then  the  poor 
brutes,  thus  hobbled  fore  and  aft,  were  driven,  pain 
fully  lurching,  out  to  graze.  Tintop  boiled  over  at 
the  sight  of  so  nnhorsemanlike  a  proceeding  and  rode 
wrathfully  at  Devers  to  rebuke  him.  "  Why,  colonel," 
said  Devers,  "  I  wouldn't  have  done  it  for  the  world, 
but  Mr.  Gray  was  so  positive  in  saying  it-  must  be 
done  when  they  went  out,  I  couldn't  do  otherwise. 

Of  course  if  he'd  said  when  they  got  out  I "     And 

though  Tintop  swore  savagely  through  his  teeth  that 


120  UNDER  FIRE. 

Devers  knew  well  just  what  was  meant,  as  did  every 
other  troop  commander,  he  couldn't  prove  it.  Next 
day,  before  the  side  lines  were  put  on,  in  some  mys 
terious  way  Devers's  herd  was  stampeded  and  ran  six 
miles  before  they  could  be  rounded  up,  and  he  ex 
plained  it  was  all  because  they  weren't  side-lined  in 
the  first  place,  as  they  were  always  accustomed  to 
being,  and  as  the  regulations  required  they  should  be 
in  the  Indian  country.  This  was  another  thing  to 
make  Tintop  blaspheme.  Every  day  for  a  week  some 
thing  was  amiss,  and,  having  gone  to  the  length  of  his 
own  tether,  Devers  took  to  saying  that  it  was  all  Mr. 
Davies's  fault  or  Sergeant  Somebody's, — "  Mr.  Da  vies 
had  just  joined  and  was  utterly  inexperienced."  Then 
Tintop  gave  Devers  positive  orders  not  to  content  him 
self  with  telling  people  to  do  thus  and  so,  but  to  see 
that  the  orders  were  obeyed,  and  Devers  then  took  his 
pipe  and  his  blankets  and  ostentatiously  spent  hours 
of  the  afternoon  out  on  the  open  prairie,  a  monument 
to  the  severity  and  exactions  of  his  colonel.  And  still 
the  horses,  all  of  them,  got  far  out  on  the  foot-hills, 
and  Tintop  ordered  him  a  day  or  two  later,  when  on 
Scalp  Creek,  not  to  let  his  herd  get  more  than  half  a 
mile  away  from  the  troop  fires,  as  they  had  no  tents, 
and  then  Devers  had  his  herd-guards  build  fires  and 
boil  coffee  far  out  on  the  prairie,  and  claimed  that 
those  were  his  troop  fires,  and  therefore  his  herd  was 
within  reasonable  distance  of  them.  Then  Tintop 
swore  another  oath  and  ordered  Devers  not  to  let  his 
horses  graze  more  than  half  or  less  than  quarter  of  a 
mile  from  his  own  head-quarters  fire,  and  as  there  fol 
lowed  a  few  days  of  hot  weather,  Devers  sent  his  herd 


UNDER   FIRE.  121 

to  the  foot-hills  again,  claiming  that  there  was  no  longer 
a  head-quarters  fire  to  regulate  by,  which  proved  to  be 
a  fact,  as  in  such  warm  weather  there  was  no  need  of 
one.  Then,  one  day,  Tintop  in  so  many  words  ordered 
the  captain  hereafter  not  to  do  as  he  thought,  but 
simply  as  his  colonel  said,  and  this  led  to  the  final 
incident,  still  more  side-splitting, — one  that  the  boys 
in  the  regiment  never  tired  of  telling.  Tintop  with 
his  battalion  was  sent  on  a  seven  days'  scout,  during 
which  he  ordered  all  the  troop  commanders,  until  fur 
ther  instruction,  not  to  permit  their  herds  to  graze 
more  than  five  hundred  yards  from  camp.  Three  days 
later,  what  was  his  wrath  to  find  Devers's  herd  almost 
a  mile  away  down  the  stream,  and  close  by  the  tents 
of  Major  Roome's  battalion  of  Foot  that  had  been  for 
a  week  placidly  awaiting  the  return  of  the  cavalry  ! 
Tintop  had  halted  and  unsaddled  some  distance  up 
stream.  There  wasn't  a  shred  of  canvas  with  the 
regiment  while  on  this  brisk  raid,  nor  was  there  need 
of  it  in  such  perfect  weather,  and  Tintop  with  Gray 
by  his  side  stood  fuming  in  the  midst  of  surrounding 
cook  fires,  when  Devers  came  placidly  up  in  obedience 
to  the  summons  of  the  orderly,  and  many  an  ear  was 
brought  to  bear  and  bets  were  given  and  taken  that 
this  time  Devers  would  catch  it  and  no  rebate.  "  How 
is  it,  sir,"  demanded  Tintop,  "  that  in  defiance  of  my 
positive  orders  you  allow  your  herd  to  go  so  far  away  ?" 
"  Why,  colonel,  you  distinctly  said  they  mustn't  be 
herded  over  five  hundred  yards  from  camp.  Of  course 
if  I'd  been  allowed  to  think  I  probably  wouldn't  have 
done  it,  but  I  sent  mine  down  there  accordingly. 
That's  the  only  camp  I  see, — this  is  only  a  bivouac." 

T  11 


122  UNDER  FIRE. 

And  all  Tintop  could  ejaculate  in  response  was,  "  Well, 
may  I  be  damned  !" 

These  and  a  host  of  similar  stories  had  come  to 
Warren's  ears  in  the  course  of  the  campaign,  and  he 
had  laughed  at  them  as  had  everybody  else,  for  after 
all  no  man  could  say  that  actual  harm  had  occurred  as 
a  result  of  Devers's  experiments.  So  curiously  are  we 
constituted  that  when  it  is  only  the  commander  who  is 
braved  or  his  adjutant  who  is  ruffled,  the  bulk  of  the 
line  can  bear  it  with  equanimity.  Therefore,  while 
Tintop,  Black  Bill,  Riggs,  and  his  seniors  generally 
could  never  refer  to  Devers  except  with  sympathetic 
swear  words,  there  were  not  a  few  of  the  officers  junior 
in  rank  to  his  who  found  no  little  fun  in  all  these  in 
cidents.  Like  most  stories  in  or  out  of  the  army,  they 
were  perhaps  exaggerative,  but,  like  smoke,  they  could 
not  exist  without  smouldering  fire.  If  there  were  any 
speculation  about  Devers  in  the  regiment,  it  was  as  to 
how  he  would  behave  if  he  ever  did  get  into  a  fight,  or 
what  would  happen  in  the  event  of  his  some  day  squirm 
ing  out  of  an  order  on  which  vital  issues  depended. 
"  You'll  go  too  far  yet,  Devers,"  said  a  soldier  who 
strove  conscientiously  to  be  his  friend  and  counsellor, 
"  and  when  you  do,  where  will  be  the  commander  under 
whom  you  have  ever  served  to  say  a  good  word  for  you  ?" 

And  now  on  this  fatal  September  morning  that 
ominous  warning  was  ringing  in  his  ears  again  and 
again.  Down  in  the  bottom  of  his  brooding  heart  he 
knew,  and  well  knew,  that  had  he  obeyed,  as  he  should 
have  obeyed,  Warren's  orders,  this  catastrophe  could 
not  have  occurred,  and  that  he  more  than  any  other 
man  on  earth  was  responsible  for  the  death  of  these 


UNDER  FIRE.  123 

gallant  fellows,  who,  whether  they  looked  up  to  him 
or  not,  were  by  the  stern  discipline  of  the  service  de 
pendent  on  him  for  the  expected  support.  If  he  could 
realize  this,  how  much  the  quicker  would  others  be  to 
attach  the  blame  to  him !  how  much  the  more  neces 
sary  must  it  be  to  lose  no  time  in  diverting  suspicion 
elsewhere  !  The  fatal  propensity  to  distort  or  disobey, 
which  perhaps  he  could  have  downed  had  Tintop  or 
Riggs  been  there,  he  could  not  resist  with  Warren, — 
an  envied  contemporary,  presumably  new  to  his  idio 
syncrasies.  Nor  would  he,  of  course,  even  with  him, 
have  disobeyed  could  he  have  foreseen  the  fatal  con 
sequences.  That  would  have  been  risking  too  much. 
But  now  that  he  had  disobeyed,  and  in  all  probability 
would  be  held  accountable  for  the  catastrophe,  his  one 
road  to  safety  and  to  acquittal  lay  in  saddling  all 
possible  responsibility  on  some  one  else, — preferably 
Davies.  This,  if  Davies  were  silent  in  death,  would 
not  be  difficult.  Whatsoever  others  might  think  or 
say,  they  could  prove  nothing.  If,  however,  Davies 
turned  up  alive  and  alert,  then  matters  might  be  grave 
indeed.  No  wonder  he  climbed  again  and  again  the 
westward  bank  and  levelled  his  glasses  at  the  dull- 
hued  ridge  against  the  brilliant  westward  sky,  fre 
quently  giving  vent  to  loud  denunciation  of  the  leaders 
in  the  mismanaged  campaign.  It  was  nearly  ten 
o'clock  before  his  dead  were  laid  away, — before  any 
thing  occurred  that  looked  like  discovery  of  the  miss 
ing  pair.  Then  came  new  excitement. 

Far  down  toward  the  point  where  the  distant  spur 
seemed  to  sink  to  the  general  level  of  the  prairie  one 
or  two  of  Warren's  scouts  could  be  seen  rapidly  spur- 


124  UNDER  FIRE. 

ring,  as  though  in  answer  to  signals.  Presently  they, 
too,  began  waving  their  hats  to  those  searching  higher 
up  the  ridge.  Then  all  disappeared  over  on  the  west 
ward  side.  Something  evidently  had  been  found,  and 
Devers's  men,  their  work  completed,  were  grouped 
eagerly  up  the  bank.  Over  half  an  hour  in  mingled 
hope  and  suspense  they  waited,  and  then  there  rode  in 
a  mounted  messenger. 

"  The  major's  compliments  to  Captain  Devers,"  he 
said,  "  and  he'll  wait  for  the  captain  and  his  troop  over 
yonder.  I'm  to  show  the  way." 

"  Have  they  found  anything  ?"  asked  Devers. 

"  Yes,  sir, — Mr.  Davies ;  but  he's  more  dead  than 
alive.  There  is  no  sign  of  McGrath." 

"  Do  you  mean  Mr.  Davies  is  wounded  ?" 

"  No,  sir.     He  seems  just  dazed-like." 

"  That's  what  I  said  all  along,"  spoke  the  captain, 
loudly,  so  that  it  was  heard  by  all  the  soldiers  near  at 
hand.  "  He  never  tried  to  rejoin  his  detachment.  He 
never  had  any  nerve.  He  probably  saw  what  was 
going  on  and  hid  himself,  never  daring  even  to  let  us 
know.  Damn  these  psalm-singing,  Sunday -go-to-meet 
ing  soldiers  anyhow  !  Here,  Howard,"  he  continued, 
turning  to  a  young  trooper  who  stood  silently  at  his 
horse's  head,  ayou  come  with  me.  Lead  on,  corporal. 
Sergeant  Haney,  mount  the  troop  and  follow."  And 
with  that  the  captain  rode  away. 

For  a  moment,  as  the  men  were  bringing  up  their 
horses  and  leading  them  into  line,  there  was  silence. 
Looking  after  the  three  horsemen  now  well  out  on  the 
prairie  to  the  west,  the  party  saw  that  the  messenger 
was  riding  some  distance  in  advance,  and  that  Howard, 


UNDER  FIRE.  125 

a  recruit  who  joined  with  the  detachment  early  in  the 
campaign,  was  now  side  by  side  and  evidently  in  con 
versation  with  the  captain.  It  had  been  a  summer  of 
campaigning  in  which  not  only  the  nicer  distinctions  as 
between  officer  and  man — not  only  all  symbols  of  rank 
and  uniform — had  gradually  disappeared,  but  with 
them,  little  by  little,  some  of  the  first  principles  of  good 
order  and  military  discipline.  Officers  had  been  heard 
openly  condemning  or  covertly  sneering  at  the  seniors 
in  command.  It  was  not  strange  that  the  rank  and 
file  should  fall  into  similar  ways. 

"Never  had  any  nerve,  is  it?'7  muttered  Private 
Dooley,  after  a  moment.  "Boy  and  man  I've  sol 
diered  in  this  regiment  longer  than  you,  Captain  Dif 
fers,  and  I  know  an  officer  and  a  gentleman  when  I 
see  wan,  and  it's  the  public  opinion  av  more  than  wan 
private  that  there's  more  av  both  in  that  young  feller's 
starvin'  stummick  than  in  your  whole  damn  overfed, 
bow-legged  carcass.  How's  that,  Brannan  ?"  said  he, 
turning  to  his  next  neighbor,  a  wan,  sad-faced  recruit. 

"  Shut  up  there,  Dooley  !"  ordered  Sergeant  Haney, 
briefly.  "  No  more  of  that !  Count  fours." 


CHAPTER   X. 

So  far  as  the  Eleventh  and  one  or  two  other  regi 
ments  were  concerned,  that  summer's  campaign,  so 
fraught  with  incident  and  tribulation,  was  now  at  an 
end.  It  would  take  weeks  and  mouths  of  care  to  re 
store  their  horses  to  serviceable  condition.  Others 

11* 


126  UNDER   FIRE. 

were  ordered  up  to  replace  the  worn-out  command,  and 
while  an  indomitable  general  pushed  fresh  columns 
into  the  field  to  track  the  savages  to  their  winter  lairs, 
the  ragged  troopers — for  all  the  world  like  so  many 
beggars  a  horseback,  so  many  mounted  scarecrows — 
were  ordered  in  to  the  big  garrisons  near  the  supply 
depots  to  refit,  recuperate,  and  restore  to  discipline. 
Some,  officers  and  men  both,  had  been  sent  ahead,  too 
weak  or  ill  to  remain  in  the  field,  and  among  these, 
consigned  to  the  tender  care  of  the  post  surgeon  of 
Fort  Cameron,  was  Lieutenant  Davies,  over  whose  con 
dition  the  doctors  shook  their  heads.  Brain  fever  was 
the  malady,  but  his  system  was  so  reduced  by  starva 
tion  and  exposure  that  even  a  moderate  fever  would 
have  been  most  serious.  Not  until  he  had  been  gone 
nearly  a  month  did  the  regiment  follow,  and  then, 
scattered  in  detachments  to  various  posts,  became  busily 
occupied  in  the  work  of  rehabilitation.  Cameron  was 
a  big  new  frontier  fort  with  few  accommodations,  over 
crowded,  too ;  yet,  being  the  nearest  to  the  field  of  ac 
tion,  thither  had  Captain  Wilbur  Cranston  gone  just 
as  soon  as  he  was  convalescent  and  able  to  move. 
Thither  with  him  went  his  devoted  wife  and  her  de 
voted  cousin  and  companion,  Miss  Loomis,  for  whose 
reception  the  subalterns  of  the  infantry  guard  promptly 
gave  up  their  frame  quarters  and  moved  into  tents, 
and  Cranston  was  there  on  light  duty  in  charge  of 
the  big  corral  of  remount  horses  when  Davies  was 
bundled  in  and  established  under  Cranston's  roof. 
There,  carefully  treated  by  Dr.  Glover  and  regularly 
visited,  often  tenderly  nursed,  by  Mrs.  Cranston  and 
her  friend,  the  naturally  strong  constitution  of  the 


UgDER  FIRE.  127 

young  officer  triumphed  and  he  began  slowly  to  mend. 
Meantime,  as  is  or  was  the  way,  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  the 
gentle  and  sympathetic  army  wives  or  maidens  at  the 
post  to  keep  the  distant  mother  informed  of  her  boy's 
slow  progress  toward  recovery,  and  presently  to  an 
swer  the  importunate  letters  of  another.  Mrs.  Crans 
ton,  a  shrewd  observer,  could  not  fail  to  note  that  as 
soon  as  her  patient  was  allowed  to  read  at  all  it  was 
his  mother's  letters,  not  the  great  packet  in  Miss 
Quimby's  unformed  hand,  that  he  eagerly  opened. 
Then  when  at  last  he  did  begin  these  latter  the  steady 
progress  of  his  convalescence  was  impaired.  He  be 
came  again  feverish,  restless,  and  depressed.  Too  ill  and 
weak  as  yet  to  write  for  himself,  he  read  with  grateful 
eyes  his  mother's  allusions  to  the  kind  and  sympathetic 
missives  sent  her  by  Mrs.  Cranston,  and  occasionally, 
as  happened,  by  Miss  Loomis.  Gladly,  too,  did  he 
avail  himself  of  their  services  in  reply.  But  when 
it  became  necessary  presently  to  answer  those  of  his 
fiancee,  there  might  have  been  embarrassment  but  for 
Mrs.  Cranston's  tact.  She  had  begun  to  feel  a  strong 
interest  in  and  respect  for  her  patient.  So,  too,  had 
her  husband,  who  came  daily  to  sit  by  his  bedside,  but 
who  avoided,  as  much  as  possible,  all  reference  to  the 
closing  days  of  the  campaign. 

As  yet  the  young  officer  had  not  been  told  of  Mc- 
Grath's  disappearance,  and  had  not  been  encouraged  to 
tell  of  his  own  experience.  Indeed,  there  was  very 
little  he  could  tell,  but  his  story  was  frankly  imparted 
to  his  friend  and  comrade,  Captain  Cranston.  Much 
seemed  to  be  a  total  blank.  He  spoke  with  a  shudder 
of  his  last  look  at  poor  Mullen  and  Phillips,  and  at 


128  UNDER  FIRE. 

the  pale,  drawn  faces  of  Captain  Devers  and  the  troop, 
— of  another  backward  glance  from  near  the  top  of  the 
ridge,  then  of  their  losing  sight  of  Devers  and  his 
men,  and  pushing  on  to  the  deeper  gloom  of  the  east 
valley.  It  was  then  too  dark  to  see,  and  for  half 
an  hour  he  and  McGrath,  weary  and  heart-sick,  had 
scouted  northeastward  in  search  of  his  party.  They 
had  seen  some  flashes  as  they  began  the  descent  and 
rode  in  their  direction,  believing  them  to  be  signals,  but 
soon  all  was  darkness,  all  silence,  bnt  for  the  sigh  of 
the  night  wind.  Conscious  of  growing  faintness,  he 
suggested  firing  a  shot  or  two  as  signals,  and  McGrath 
obeyed.  Then  off  to  the  southeast,  far  from  the  point 
where  they  had  seen  the  first  flashes,  the  shots  were 
answered  and  distant  yells  were  heard.  McGrath 
considered  this  ominous,  and  asked  him  to  wait  in  a 
little  ravine  while  he  reconnoitred.  In  ten  minutes 
two  or  three  shots  rang  out  in  the  direction  taken  by 
the  sergeant,  and  presently  back  he  came  fast  as  a 
staggering  horse  could  bear  him,  crying,  "  Indians  ! 
Indians  everywhere !"  It  was  all  up  with  Davies's 
party,  and  their  only  hope  was  to  hasten  back  to  find 
the  command;  but  the  Indians  came  in  chase,  and 
though  they  plied  spur,  their  poor  horses  seemed  too 
weak  for  speed.  How  far  they  got  he  never  knew, 
but  remembered  a  sudden  plunge,  his  horse's  going 
down,  rolling  all  over  him,  and  nothing  more. 

"  When  you  parted  from  Devers,"  asked  Cranston 
one  day,  "  how  far  was  he  from  the  top  of  the  ridge  ? 
— how  far  to  the  west  ?" 

And  Davies  answered,  "At  least  two  and  a  half  or 
three  miles." 


UNDER   FIRE.  129 

Over  this  did  Crauston  ponder  long.  It  ill  accorded 
with  what  they  wrote  him  from  the  front  as  Devers's 
story. 

"  You  write  to  Mr.  Davies's  mother,  Agatha/'  Mrs. 
Cranston  had  said.  "  I  haven't  time  for  both,  but  Fll 
take  care  of  Miss  Quimby."  Just  what  might  be  the 
tone  and  tenor  of  that  young  lady's  letters  to  her  pros 
trate  lover  Mrs.  Cranston  could  not  positively  say,  as 
no  one  saw  them  but  himself,  but  she  was  ready  to 
hazard  a  something  more  than  mere  conjecture  when 
Miss  Quimby  took  to  writing  to  her  as  well.  As  was 
her  wont  when  moved,  Mrs.  Margaret  unbosomed  her 
self  to  her  lord.  "  I've  no  patience  with  the  girl,"  she 
said.  "  She'll  worry  him  to  death.  If  she  writes  such 
silly,  romantic  trash  to  me,  what  mustn't  she  be  saying 
to  him?  What  on  earth  can  he  ever  have  seen  in 
her?" 

Xow,  that's  just  one  thing  no  woman  can  find  out, — 
what  a  man  can  see  to  admire  in  one  in  whom  she  sees 
nothing.  It  didn't  help  matters  that  Cranston,  in  his 
conservative,  whimsical  way,  should  counsel  silence  and 
patience.  What  woman  can  be  silent  under  strong 
provocation?  What  woman  can  patiently  abide  the 
personal  application  of  a  general  rule  ? 

"  I  don't  suppose  there  ever  was  a  match  yet  of 
which  some  woman  didn't  say  she  couldn't  see  what  he 
saw,"  said  Cranston,  deprecatingly  ;  and  then,  with  one 
of  his  whimsical  grins,  began  to  add,  "Let's  see, 
wasn't  it  Kitty  Benton  who  said,  when  she  heard  of 

our  engagement,  that  she "  But  he  got  no  further 

in  face  of  his  wife's  impetuous  outbreak  : 

"That's  simply  hateful  in  you,  Wilbur,  and  you 
i 


130  UNDER  FIRE. 

know  it  as  well  as  I  do.  She  knew  me  onl}  slightly, 
for  we  were  not  in  the  same  set  at  school  at  all " 

"Well, — still,  didn't  she  know  you  rathei  better 
than  you  do  Miss  Quimby,  whom  you  never  saw  a  all  ?" 

"  I  don't,  care.  I  know  what  she's  like,"  answered 
Mrs.  Meg,  with  flushing  cheeks.  And  that  was  really 
before  poor  Almira's  first  letter  came,  and  if  Mrs. 
Cranston  thought  she  was  right  before,  she  knew  it 
when  she  read  now. 

The  closing  paragraph  of  a  long,  almost  incoherent 
missive  must  suffice.  Even  Cranston's  lips  twitched 
under  the  heavy  thatch  of  his  moustache  as  he  listened. 
Even  we,  who  like  Mrs.  Cranston,  must  admit  it 
wasn't  quite  kind  in  her,  no  matter  how  natural,  to 
read  it  afterward  to  Agatha  Loomis,  who,  although 
declining  to  read,  did  not  quite  decline  to  hear  at  least 
a  line  or  two. 

"  If  you  knew  how  I  suffered — what  tortures  of 
anxiety,  what  nights  of  sleeplessness  and  woe,  toss 
ing  on  fevered  pillow,  tortured  with  visions  of  my 
beloved  nobly  fallen  ou  the  field  of  battle  and  pining 
for  the  touch  of  this  hand — you  would  indeed  pity  me ; 
but  my  father  is  inflexable.  He  refuses  his  daughter 
the  poor  boon  of  flying  to  the  stricken  lover's  side, — 
her  husband  that  is  to  be.  In  vain  have  I  pointed  out 
that  I  ask  no  sweeter  bliss  than  to  share  my  Percy's 
lot,  for  weal  or  woe,  to  live  in  the  humblest  cot,  a 
tent,  a  hovel  even,  with  only  a  crust, — it  meets  only 
his  scornful  refusal.  When  my  arms  are  eagerly  out 
stretched  to  enfold  my  soldier  hero,  I  have  to  be  con 
tent  with  nursing  day  and  night  his  afflicted  mother, 


UNDER   FIRE.  131 

whom  for  his  sake  I  love  as  I  would  my  own,  had  she 
not  been  taken  from  me  years  ago  when  I  was  but  an 
unsophistacated  child.  When  I  think  of  you  priva- 
leged  to  sit  by  his  delirious  bedside,  cooling  his  fe 
vered  brow,  I  envy  you  as  I  never  thought  to  envy 
any  woman  on  earth  since,  long  years  ago,  my  Percy 
blessed  me  with  his  love ;  and  now  if  after  all  lie  should 
be  taken,  or  if  some  proud  lady  should  win  him  from 
his  simple  little  village  maid,  there  would  be  no  refuge 
for  me  but  the  grave." 

"Now,"  said  Mrs.  Cranston,  "something  besides 
the  bedside  is  delirious  in  that  case.  No  wonder  the 
poor  fellow  is  picking  up  so  slowly." 

"  Well,  wait  a  little,"  responded  her  conservative  lord 
and  master.  "Seems  to  me  a  man  ought  to  rejoice  in 
knowing  that  the  arms  of  lovely  woman  are  out-stretched 
in  eagerness  to  enfold  him.  Now,  if  I  were  he " 

"  Yes,  if  you  were  he  I've  no  doubt  you'd  be  off 
to  Urbana  by  first  train ;  but  this  young  man  has  some 
sense  in  his  head"  (here  Cranston  began  to  finger  his 
own  skull  tentatively),  "and  in  losing  his  freedom 
hasn't  entirely  parted  with  his  wits." 

"Was  that — my  predicament?"  asked  Cranston, 
looking  plaintively  up. 

"  Well,  at  least  I  have  to  do  your  thinking  for  you, 
and  what  you  have  to  do  is  help  him  here.  Have  you 
had  any  talk  with  him  about — about  what  Captain 
Truman  and  Mr.  Gray  wrote?" 

"  Certainly  not,  Meg,"  answered  Cranston,  becoming 
grave  at  once,  "  and  I  do  not  mean  to  until  he  is  well 
enough  to  hear  it." 


132  UNDER  FIRE. 

"  Well,  the  more  I  know  of  him  the  more  I  know 
it's  utterly  untrue.  Hasn't  anything  been  heard  yet 
of  Sergeant  McGrath  ?" 

"Not  a  word.  Even  friendly  Indians  say  they 
haven't  an  idea  what  could  have  become  of  him." 
And  Cranston's  face  was  both  anxious  and  troubled. 

The  matter  was  indeed  one  to  give  him  deep  con 
cern.  The  massacre  of  the  little  detachment  from 
Warren's  battalion  late  in  September — all  of  them 
members  of  Devers's  troop — had  brought  down  sharp 
and  deserved  criticism,  and  there  was  every  prospect 
that  the  matter  would  be  officially  investigated  just  as 
soon  as  the  department  commander  could  turn  his 
attention  from  the  rounding  up  of  the  hostile  baud 
still  at  large.  Meantime,  between  Warren  and  his 
senior  troop  commander,  Captain  Devers,  strained  re 
lations  existed, — the  former  holding  to  the  theory  that 
the  responsibility  for  the  disaster  lay  with  Devers  and 
no  one  else,  the  latter  volubly,  plausibly,  incessantly 
protesting  against  the  imputation  as  utterly  unjust, 
indeed,  as  utterly  outrageous,  and  moving  heaven  and 
earth  to  unload  the  entire  blame  on  the  shoulders  of 
the  absent  and  defenceless. 

Now,  as  a  rule  this  is  an  easy  matter,  almost  as  easy 
in  the  army  as  out  of  it,  and  had  his  accuser  been  any 
other  captain  in  the  entire  field  column,  poor  Davies 
might  indeed  have  been  prejudged ;  but  with  Devers 
it  was  different.  His  idiosyncrasies  were  notorious. 
His  whole  mental  and  moral  fabric  was  one  of  an 
tagonism  to  his  fellows  in  general  and  his  seniors  in 
particular.  It  was  said,  and  generally  said,  of  him 
that  the  mere  fact  that  everybody  liked  or  respected  a 


UNDER   FIRE.  133 

man  was  enough  to  set  Devers  dead  against  him.  The 
fact  that  Mr.  Davies  had  thrown  up  his  graduating 
leave  and  sought  instant  service  in  the  field  as  a  result 
of  the  tragedies  of  the  early  days  of  the  campaign 
had  won  him  instantly  the  interest  and  good  will  of 
officers  and  men  throughout  the  entire  command.  He 
started  well,  so  to  speak,  and  his  quiet,  reticent,  ob 
servant,  hut  unobtrusive  ways  favorably  impressed  his 
regimental  comrades  and  led  to  many  a  commendatory 
remark  from  veteran  officers.  But  there  was  universal 
comment,  half  humorous,  half  commiserating,  upon  his 
assignment  to  Devers's  troop,  and  Devers  knew  it.  He 
treated  the  young  man  with  cool  civility  at  first,  but 
became  speedily  captious  and  irritating,  rebuking  him 
openly  in  the  presence  and  hearing  of  other  officers 
and  of  enlisted  men  for  matters  for  which  he  was  not 
justly  blamable.  Old  Winthrop  spoke  to  Devers 
about  it  one  day,  and  spoke  seriously.  "  You'll  dis 
gust  that  young  gentleman  with  the  service  if  you're 
not  careful,  Devers,"  said  he,  "and  be  the  means  of 
depriving  us  of  a  good  officer/' 

"  That's  just  where  I'm  compelled  to  differ  with 
you,  colonel,"  was  the  response,  and  it  was  this  pro 
pensity  for  differing  that  had  led  to  his  sobriquet. 
"  I've  had  constant  and  di?lly  opportunity  of  observing 
him,  and  he's  mistaken  his  vocation.  That  young  man 
should  be  a  missionary  or  a  Sunday-school  superinten 
dent.  He's  too  pious  for  Indian  fighting,  which  is 
the  only  thing  expected  of  us." 

But  for  weeks  after  there  was  no  Indian  fighting. 
What  had  become  of  the  swarms  of  red  warriors  that 
had  swooped  upon  the  front,  flank,  and  rear  earlier  in 

12 


134  UNDER  FIRE. 

the  campaign  no  one  could  say.  Their  trails  led  all 
over  the  northwest,  and  the  pursuing  column  pushed 
on  night  and  day  in  dust  and  sun-glare,  in  mud  and 
rain,  in  pelting  hail-storm  and  darkness,  and  never  once 
until  late  in  the  autumn  could  they  again  come  within 
striking  distance.  By  that  time  the  jaunty  riders  of 
the  early  spring-tide  were  worn  to  skeletons  ;  the  met 
tlesome  horses — those  that  were  left — barely  able  to 
stagger  through  weakness,  exhaustion,  and  starvation. 
Then  like  prairie  wolves  the  warriors  closed  once  more 
about  the  jaded  flanks,  waiting,  watching  every  chance 
of  picking  off  the  stragglers.  Just  one  day  did  Dif- 
fers's  troop  get  under  fire, — a  long  way  from  under, 
said  satirical  subalterns  of  a  command  that  sustained 
some  losses, — but  so  scientifically  did  the  captain  han 
dle  his  men  that  not  a  trooper  or  horse  was  scratched. 
Mr.  Davies  on  this  occasion  commanded  a  platoon, 
dismounted  on  the  skirmish  line.  It  was  his  first 
affair,  and  he  kept  his  appropriate  thirty  paces  in  rear 
of  his  dispersed  men  to  watch  and  direct  their  fire, 
expecting  that  the  enemy  Would  charge  or  attack  or 
do  something,  he  didn't  know  just  what.  He  simply 
behaved  as  he  had  been  taught  at  skirmish  drill  at  the 
Point, — was  ready  to  do  his  full  duty,  but  having  no 
experience  in  Indian  battle,  thought  it  his  business  to 
wait  orders,  which  was  precisely  what  Differs  had  told 
him  to  do,  until  attacked.  All  the  same,  when  others 
twitted  Devers  on  the  fact  that  his  troop  "didn't  seem 
to  get  in,"  that  officer  did  not  hesitate  to  respond  that 
they'd  have  to  settle  that  with  their  admiration,  Mr. 
Davies,  who  was  commanding  the  fighting  line,  but 
probably  wasn't  done  saying  his  prayers.  There  was 


UNDER  FIRE.  135 

a  lively,  rattling  skirmish  next  morning  between  the 
rear-guard  and  the  Indians,  and  at  one  time  things 
looked  as  though  the  thinned  battalion  of  their  com 
rades  of  the  — th  might  be  cut  off,  and  some  of  Devers's 
regiment  thought  the  rearmost  troops  ought  to  be  de 
ployed  in  support  of  the  fellows  who  were  fighting  off 
the  warriors,  who  came  charging  after  them  over  wave 
after  wave  of  prairie.  But  Devers  couldn't  see  it  in 
that  light.  He  was  bringing  up  the  rear  of  his  own 
regiment.  Indeed,  not  until  the  fatal  day  of  their 
debouchement  from  the  Bad  Lands  and  sighting  the 
broad  valley  of  the  Ska  had  Devers's  men  felt  the 
sting  of  Indian  lead,  and  then  he  was  not  with  them. 

And  now  while  the  worn  and  ragged  commands  lay 
basking  day  after  day  in  the  warm  October  sunshine 
at  Camp  Recovery,  and  men  for  the  time  had  nothing 
to  do  but  eat  and  sleep  and  discuss  the  events  of  the 
late  campaign,  the  Eleventh  was  in  turmoil  over  the 
tragedy  of  Antelope  Springs. 

When  Davies  was  finally  found  that  morning  by 
Warren's  scouts,  he  wras  lying  in  a  depression  of  the 
prairie  at  least  a  mile  to  the  west  of  the  point  where 
that  long — that  fatally  long — curtaining  ridge  sank  into 
the  general  level  of  the  valley,  and  therefore  full  four 
and  a  half  or  five  miles  away  from  the  point  where  his 
little  detachment  had  died  fighting,  and  very  nearly 
two  miles  south,  or  west  of  south,  of  the  point  where 
he  and  McGrath  had  last  been  seen  by  their  comrades, 
— just  at  dusk, — -just  at  what  looked  to  be  the  comb  or 
crest  of  the  ridge  from  the  point  where  Devers  had 
halted  his  troop  and  made  the  dramatic  display  of  his 
dead.  But  what  looked  to  be  the  crest  from  the  west 


136  UNDER   FTRE. 

was  in  point  of  fact  not  the  crest  at  all.  Invisible  to 
the  halted  command,  there  lay  still  farther  over  to  the 
eastward,  where  the  spur  seemed  to  broaden  consider 
ably,  a  wave  that  overtopped  the  westward  edge  by  a 
dozen  feet  or  more.  Supposing  from  Devers's  account 
that  the  trail  of  his  command  could  be  found  distinct! y 
marked  along  the  westward  slope  and  close  under  the 
crest,  Warren  was  searching  there  with  his  scouts  when 
attracted  by  the  signals  two  miles  to  the  south  an 
nouncing  probably  important  discoveries.  He  had 
found  some  Indian  pony  tracks,  also  those  of  one  shod 
horse,  but  dropped  everything  else  to  go  at  once  in 
answer  to  the  signals.  Then  they  had  borne  the  un 
conscious  officer  southeastward  toward  the  clump  of 
trees  at  the  Springs,  placed  him  in  the  ambulance,  and 
then  came  a  courier  from  the  general  himself  directing 
Major  Warren  to  report  to  him  in  person  at  Birch- 
wood,  thirty  miles  away,  and  the  major  went,  the  am 
bulance  following.  And  so,  to  his  unspeakable  relief, 
Captain  Devers  was  left  once  more  the  senior  officer 
on  the  ground  to  continue  the  search  for  McGrath,  and 
in  the  conduct  of  this  he  took  excellent  care  that  only 
himself  and  one  or  two  of  his  chosen  should  search 
any  portion  of  the  prairie  that  might  involve  running 
over  the  trail  west  of  the  ravine  which  he  had  made 
the  previous  day.  The  scouts  and  searching  parties 
were  kept  in  the  valley  and  in  the  timber  along  the 
river,  not  on  the  back  track.  That  search  Devers  con 
ducted  in  person,  and  made  a  rough  topographical 
sketch  of  the  neighborhood  as  it  appeared  in  his  eyes 
and  as  he  wished  it  to  appear  in  those  of  others.  Just 
before  dusk,  sounding  the  rally  far  up  the  spur,  he 


UNDER   FIRE.  137 

rode  to  the  point  where  his  two  hunters  had  met  their 
fate,  and  there  assembled  his  men,  gathering  some  fifty 
troopers,  and  thence  led  them  in  column  of  twos 
southward  close  under  the  spur  and  well  to  the  east  of 
the  ravine  which  on  the  previous  day  had  partially 
caused  his  wide  departure  from  the  line  of  direction 
indicated  to  him  by  the  major.  It  was  therefore  very 
late,  and  his  men  were  very  tired, — much  too  tired  to 
sit  up  and  talk, — when  they  got  to  camp. 

Pursuing  its  homeward  march,  the  main  column 
under  the  general  commanding  had  gone  on  through 
the  wild  hill  country,  and  not  until  nearly  a  month 
had  elapsed  was  the  scene  of  the  tragedy  revisited. 
The  officer  who  went  thither  with  an  escort,  and  Cap 
tain  Devers  and  Corporal  Finucane  and  Troopers 
Boyd  and  Howard,  had  had  pointed  out  to  him  the 
scene  of  the  massacre  itself,  then,  far  up  the  spur,  the 
spot  where  Mullen  and  Phillips  were  shot,  and  from 
thence  the  trail  of  Davies's  little  squad  as  it  marched 
away  on  its  fatal  errand  toward  the  Springs,  and  the 
trails  of  the  various  parties.  Off  to  the  southwest 
went  Truman  in  chase  of  the  murderers, — off  after 
Truman  went  Calvert  and  the  invalid  corps, — off 
straight  to  the  south — to  the  river — along  the  westward 
side  of  the  ridge,  far  to  the  east  of  the  ravine  and  close 
under  the  crest,  went  another;  that,  he  was  assured, 
was  the  trail  made  by  Captain  Devers.  Many  of  these 
trails,  said  the  officer's  report,  were  now  dim  and  nearly 
effaced,  "  but  there  can  be  no  mistaking  that  of  Cap 
tain  Devers  along  the  spur, — it  is  quite  sharp  and 
clear.  It  isn't  more  than  five  hundred  yards  from 
the  point  where  Mr.  Davies  and  Sergeant  McGrath 

12*   " 


138  UNDER  FIRE. 

had  disappeared  over  the  ridge  to  the  nearest  point  on 
the  trail,  where — while  Captain  Devers  couldn't  be 
sure — his  troopers  are  positive  Mr.  Davies  had  left  to 
return  to  his  men,  and  where  they  are  also  positive  the 
captain  had  again  enjoined  upon  him  the  necessity  of 
vigilance,  and  reminded  him  that  as  it  was  growing 
dark  he  could  no  longer  see,  and  must  therefore  depend 
upon  his  lieutenant  to  keep  him  informed  of  what  was 
going  on  over  on  that  side,  as  under  his  new  orders 
he,  Captain  Devers,  must  now  go  on  and  bury  his 
dead.  Mr.  Davies  and  his  sergeant  must  have  seen 
the  attack  just  as  soon  as  they  got  back  across  the 
ridge,  but  what  they  did  and  why  they  had  not  in 
stantly  warned  their  captain  remains  a  mystery.  At 
all  events  it  would  seem  that  Captain  Devers/'  so  con 
cluded  the  report,  "  had  conscientiously  carried  out  his 
instructions,  though  he  might  perhaps,  if  unburdened 
with  his  dead,  have  kept  higher  up  towards  the  crest, 
and  should  perhaps  have  detached  a  couple  of  flankers 
to  keep  communication,  and  so  relied  less  on  Lieutenant 
Davies,  who  was  at  least  inexperienced  in  frontier  war 
fare."  The  officer  could  not  understand  how  it  was 
that  in  broad  daylight  Major  Warren  when  searching 
had  failed  to  see  Devers's  trail.  It  certainly  was  there. 
And  so  the  old,  old  story  was  told  again.  The  absent 
it  was  who  had  to  take  care  of  himself,  and  Devers 
was  inferentially  "  whitewashed"  and  Davies  held  to 
explain,  when  convalescent,  and  McGrath  to  substan 
tiate  his  statement  if  McGrath  ever  again  turned  up 
on  earth.  Otherwise  there  could  be  no  substantia 
tion  until  the  judgment  day.  Now,  McGrath,  lost  in 
the  thick  of  an  Indian  fight,  was  as  apt  to  be  found 


UNDER  FIRE.  139 

alive,  or  found  at  all,  as  a  pin  in  a  mill-pond.  Davies, 
broken  by  the  campaign  and  sore  smitten  with  brain 
fever,  had  but  one  chance  in  a  hundred  of  recovery. 
All  things  considered,  therefore,  it  may  be  conceded 
that  Captain  Devers  was  a  very  gifted  man. 

But  Devers  wasn't  the  first  man,  or  the  last,  to  count 
on  another  fellow's  death  or  disappearance  to  cloak  his 
own  crime.  It  gave  him  a  queer  turn  to  hear  that 
Cranston  and  his  wife  and  niece  had  undertaken  the 
building  up  of  the  absent  patient.  He  hated  Cranston, 
— his  junior  as  an  officer,  but  infinitely  his  superior  as 
a  soldier.  He  feared  him  when  word  came  out  to  the 
homeward  marching  command  that  Cranston  said  Da- 
vies  was  on  the  mend  and  would  soon  be  on  the  war 
path.  But  he  drew  another  long  breath  of  relief  when 
there  reached  them  the  news  that  General  Sheridan 
himself  had  telegraphed  directing  Davies  to  hasten 
home,  that  his  mother  was  dying.  When  next  that 
young  officer  appeared  upon  the  scene  and  reported  for 
duty,  it  was  in  midwinter  at  Fort  Scott,  a  big,  bril 
liant,  sunshiny  post,  the  head-quarters  of  an  infantry 
regiment,  the  station  of  a  cavalry  battalion,  whose 
major,  Warren,  had  gone  on  long  leave  abroad, 
whose  senior  captain,  Devers,  was  its  commander  p-o 
tempore,  whose  other  captains,  Cranston,  Truman,  and 
Hay,  were  present  for  duty ;  so  were  most  of  their 
subalterns,  so  were  most  of  the  infantry  officers,  so 
were  the  wives  and  families  of  nine-tenths  of  the  array, 
for  it  was  a  much-married  garrison,  and  there  was  not 
a  little  talk  and  speculation  when  it  was  announced 
that  Lieutenant  Davies  would  come  accompanied  by 
his  bride. 


140  UNDER  FIRE. 


CHAPTER    XT. 

"  THE  main  objection  to  Fort  Scott/'  said  Winthrop, 
when  one  of  his  battalions  was  finally  ordered  thither, 
"  is  that  it's  too  fashionable  for  my  taste.  What  this 
regiment  needs  now  is  more  drill  and  less  dinners." 
He  loved  to  be  epigrammatic.  The  head-quarters, 
staff,  band,  and  six  troops  had  taken  station  at  a  big 
frontier  post,  two  other  troops  went  with  the  lieutenant- 
colonel  to  a  second  post,  so  that  that  officer  could 
have  a  command,  and  two  more  with  the  senior  major, 
but  the  Interior  Department  had  moved  some  thou- 
sands.of  the  lately  hostile  Indians  down  close  to  the 
line  of  the  railway,  where  they  could  be  more  readilv 
fed  and  cared  for.  Great  thereat  was  the  alarm  of  the 
settlers,  and  great  the  protest  of  the  cattlemen,  whose 
steers  now  roamed  all  over  the  prairies  within  tempt 
ing  distance  of  the  restless  young  braves  across  the 
reservation  line.  Scott  Avas  not  a  cavalry  post  at  all. 
It  had  no  suitable  stables,  and  only  infantry  ordinarily 
had  been  stationed  there  since  the  completion  of  the 
railway,  and  thither  Devers  had  been  sent  when  the 
final  dissolution  of  the  field  column  took  place,  and  no 
one  of  the  field  officers  wanted  him  in  his  command, 
and  he  preferred  to  be  as  usual, — alone.  But  then 
came  the  move  of  the  Indians  and  the  cry  of  inade 
quate  protection.  Tiutop  had  to  part  with  two  of  his 
pet  companies — Cranston's  and  Hay's — at  the  reluctant 
orders  from  department  head-quarters.  Still  a  fourth 


f\DER  FIRE.  141 

had  to  be  sent,  and  Truman  was  taken  from  the  lieu 
tenant-colonel  and  Major  Warren  despatched  from 
head -quarters  to  Scott  as  commander  of  this  cavalry 
battalion  or  squadron  at  the  very  moment  when  he  was 
clinching  his  arrangements  for  long  leave  of  absence. 
He  went,  commanded  a  month,  but  persisted  in  his 
application.  Long  years  of  service  entitled  him  to  the 
indulgence  and  it  was  granted,  but  neither  the  lieu 
tenant-colonel  nor  senior  major  would  consent  to  give 
up  the  command  of  a  post  to  go  to  Scott  as  a  subordi 
nate  to  old  Colonel  Peleg  Stone,  an  infantry  veteran 
of  many  a  war,  both  in  garrison  and  in  the  field.  A 
shout  of  merriment  was  heard  in  the  camp  of  the 
cavalry  when  the  original  orders  were  read  distributing 
the  troops  to  stations.  "Old  Pegleg's  got  his  match 
at  last/'  was  the  comment  of  the  knowing  ones.  "  He 
can't  worry  Devers  half  as  much  as  Devers  will  worry 
him."  Scott  was  the  innermost  and  easternmost  of  all 
the  stations  to  which  the  three  regiments  of  cavalry  were 
distributed.  The  big,  bustling,  growing  cattle  town 
of  Braska  lay  but  a  few  miles  away.  Thriving  and 
populous  ranches  surrounded  the  post  on  every  side, 
replacing  the  buffalo,  antelope,  and  deer  of  the  decade 
gone  by  with  countless  herds  of  horned  cattle.  Braska 
sported  a  theatre,  an  assembly-room,  restaurants,  con 
cert-halls  and  banks — of  all  kinds.  It  had  the  unhal 
lowed  features  of  the  average  frontier  metropolis  and 
some  of  the  more  'agreeable  traits  of  an  Eastern  city. 
It  contained  a  very  large  number  of  abandoned  char 
acters  who  were  not  all  half  as  bad  as  they  were 
painted,  and  quite  an  array  of  citizens  of  high  repute 
who  were  not  all  as  good  as  they  looked.  As  between 


142  UNDER  FJRE. 

bad  morals  and  bad  manners,  society  seems  to  find  it 
easier  to  forgive  the  former,  and  most  of  the  Eastern 
men  who  had  come  West  to  embark  in  business  had 
charming  manners  and  were  welcome  visitors  at  the 
fort,  welcome  companions  at  every  party,  picnic,  and 
dance,  most  hospitable  entertainers  in  their  turn  when 
the  fort  people  went  to  town.  During  the  long  battle 
summer  Fort  Scott  was  garrisoned  by  Colonel  "  Peg- 
leg,"  the  chaplain,  the  doctors,  the  adjutant  and  quar 
termaster,  the  band,  one  company  of  his  reliable  old 
corps,  the  Fortieth  Foot,  and  the  wives  and  children 
of  pretty  much  all  the  rest  of  the  regiment.  Famous 
campaigners  were  they  of  the  Fortieth.  They  hadn't 
missed  a  chance,  winter  or  summer,  for  ten  long  years. 
They  had  tramped,  scouted,  picketed,  escorted,  ex 
plored,  surveyed,  fought  and  bled  all  over  the  great 
Northwest,  some  of  the  officers  being  so  incessantly 
abroad  as  to  find  themselves  quite  ill  at  ease  at  home, 
many  of  their  ladies  declaring  it  a  difficult  matter  to 
know  their  lords  on  the  rare  occasions  of  their  return, 
some  few,  indeed,  being  accused  of  having  forgotten 
them  entirely  in  their  absence.  These  were  days  the 
army  little  knew  before  and  will  never  know  again, — 
the  decade  that  followed  the  war  of  the  rebellion. 
Too  old  to  take  the  field  himself,  the  veteran  colonel 
at  least  could  take  his  ease  at  home,  and  was  quite 
placid  and  content  when  he  had  the  band  to  play  for 
him,  one  company  to  guard  and  "  police'7  the  post,  and 
a  host  of  women  and  children,  bereft  of  their  natural 
protectors,  fluttering  about  him.  When  all  his  com 
panies  were  home  he  had  to  spend  hours  at  his  desk 
overhauling  ration  and  post  and  forage  returns,  and  as 


UNDER  FIRE. 

he  was  essentially  a  "  red-tape"  soldier, — one  who  knew 
the  regulations  and  recognized  nothing  else, — he  made 
in  busier  times  his  own  life  and  those  of  his  officers 
something  of  a  burden.  The  summer  had  been  lovely 
at  Scott.  Thrice  a  week  on  sunshiny  afternoons  the 
band  played  in  its  kiosk,  and  the  gallants  from  town 
or  the  neighboring  ranches  drove  in  with  their  stylish 
u  turnouts'7  and  called  on  the  ladies  at  the  fort  or  took 
them  driving  over  the  hard  prairie  roads,  or  danced 
with  them  on  the  waxed  floor  of  the  airy  assembly- 
room.  "Really,"  said  some  of  the  ladies,  "if  it 
hadn't  been  for  our  friends  from  town  and  the  ranches 
I  don't  know  what  we  should  have  done."  What 
some  of  them — ay,  many  of  them — did  was  to  gather 
their  little  broods  about  them  morn  and  night  and 
pray  to  the  Father  in  heaven  for  the  life  and  safety 
of  the  father  in  the  field, — to  lead  pure  and  patient 
and  faithful  lives,  striving  to  keep  their  little  house  in 
order  against  his  coming,  to  teach  his  children  to  honor 
and  love  his  name,  to  guard  that  name  from  any  and 
every  possibility  of  reproach.  What  others  did.  was 
to  accept  most  liberally  the  parting  injunction,  "not  to 
mope,  but  try  to  have  a  good  time  and  be  brave  and 
cheerful,"  while  the  soldier  went  his  way.  From  this 
it  was  an  easy  step  to  accept  as  liberally  the  proffered 
attention  of  the  gentlemen  with  the  charming  manners 
from  Braska  and  Braska  County.  It  was  a  gay  post, 
a  fashionable  post,  a  frivolous  post,  for  the  tone  of 
garrison  life  depends  immeasurably  upon  its  social 
leader,  the  wife  of  the  commanding  officer,  and  Mrs. 
Stone  was  but  little  older  than  her  husband's  daughters. 
The  latter  were  East  at  school  or  visiting  their  own 


144  rXDEIt   FIRE. 

mother's  relatives.  The  former  had  been  a  belle  at 
home  and  was  glad  to  continue  her  belledom  on  the 
plains.  There  were  times  when  Mrs.  Stone  and  the 
colonel  lent  the  countenance  of  their  presence  to  charm 
ing  little  dinners  and  lunches,  or  after  theatre  to  sup 
pers  at  the  leading  restaurant  in  town.  There  were 
times  when  some  of  the  ladies  accepted  refreshment 
there  without  such  official  accompaniment.  "  Really, 
one  had  to  drive  very  frequently  to  Braska  even  if 
there  was  no  actual  shopping,  for  there  was  nowhere 
else  to  go,"  was  an  oft-heard  remark  at  Scott  that 
summer.  But  breathes  there  a  woman  who  cannot  find 
excuse  for  shopping  ?  And  shopping  was  hungry  work 
and  the  drive  was  long,  the  air  keen,  bracing,  appetizing. 
What  more  natural  than  that  Mr.  Courtenay  and  Mr. 
Fowler  of  the  bank,  Mr.  Willett  or  Mr.  Burtis  of 
the  Cattle  Club, — such  charming  dancers  these, — should 
sometimes,  indeed  frequently,  suggest  just  a  little  bite, 
just  a  hot  bird  and  a  cold  bottle  at  Cresswell's?  Such 
delicious  salads  as  he  could  concoct  out  of  even  canned 
shrimp  or  lobster,  such  capital  oysters  as  came  to  him, 
fresh,  three  times  a  week  from  Baltimore,  such  de 
licious  champagne,  so  carefully  iced.  What  possible 
harm  could  there  be  in  Mrs.  Flight  and  Mrs.  Darling 
and  Mrs.  Watson's  going  together,  mind  you,  and 
lunching  with  their  friends?  "  Why,  the  ladies  at  Fort 
Russell  all  do  the  same  tiling  every  time  they  go  to 
Cheyenne !"  said  Mrs.  Flight,  when  taken  to  task 
about  it.  "  When  I  was  up  there  visiting  Fanny 
Turner  last  month  we  thought  nothing  of  it !"  All 
the  same  Mrs.  Wright  and  Mrs.  Leonard  and  others 
of  their  standard  not  only  wouldn't  go  driving  alone 


UNDER   FIRE.  J45 

with  the  gentlemen  from  town,  but  declined  to  go  to 
Cresswell's  with  anybody.  And  Mrs.  Wright's  bonny 
face  flushed  and  her  eyes  flashed  when  she  said  why. 
As  to  what  the  ladies  of  the  — th  did  out  at  Russell, 
that  was  not  her  business.  "  Nevertheless/7  said  Mrs. 
Wright,  "  I'll  warrant  you  that  Mrs.  Stannard,  or 
Mrs.  Freeman,  or  Mrs.  Truscott  did  nothing  of  the 
kind,  and  I  don't  care  what  Mrs.  Flight  says  or  Mrs. 
Turner  does." 

And  then  the  whole  regiment  came  flocking  home, 
and  there  was  joy  and  gladness  unspeakable  in  many 
a  little  army  household  and  some  modification  thereof 
in  others,  and  presently  Devers  and  his  troop  arrived 
after  a  long,  long  march,  and  Devers  began  giving 
"  Pegleg"  something  more  to  think  about.  The  re 
sources  of  the  quartermaster's  department  were  insuf 
ficient  to  fill  that  ambitious  dragoon's  requisitions 
There  wasn't  anything  he  didn't  want  for  his  men,  his 
horses,  or  himself,  and  the  next  thing  Pegleg  knew  he 
was  involved  just  as  he  was  told  he  would  be  in  a 
voluminous  warfare  with  the  troop  commander,  and  was 
minded  of  a  saying  attributed  to  the  wag  of  the  — th 
Cavalry,  a  certain  Lieutenant  Blake,  who  knew  Devers 
well  and  shared  the  universal  opinion  of  him.  An 
officer  had  talked  of  challenging  Devers  in  by-gone 
days  when  vestiges  of  the  code  still  lingered,  but  Blake 
scouted  the  idea.  "  The  only  pistol  he  can  fight  with 
is  the  epistle/'  said  Blake.  So  Blake  was  another 
detestation  of  Devers,  and  doubtless  for  good  reason. 
He  w?s  forever  getting  a  laugh  on  the  captain  when 
they  happened  to  come  together,  and,  contentious  and 
critical  as  he  was,  the  big  dragoon  couldn't  abide  being 
G  k  13 


146  UNDER   FIRE. 

laughed  at.  Somebody  once  referred  to  Devers  as 
reminding  her  of  a  Hercules  on  horseback,  which 
prompted  Blake  to  respond,  "  Hercules  !  yes,  by  Jove, 
of  the  Farnese  variety,"  whereat  there  was  a  guffaw 
among  the  men  present  who  knew  anything  of  art, 
and  a  general  titter  on  every  hand,  for  no  one  was 
ignorant  of  Devers's  wide  physical  departure  from 
artistic  lines.  But  Tom  Hollis  and  others  of  his  ilk 
only  caught  the  "  far  knees"  part  of  it,  which,  however, 
'was  quite  enough.  Blake  would  have  been  a  comfort 
to  old  Stone  this  breezy,  wintry  December,  but  in  de 
fault  of  native  wit  to  aid  him  wrestle  with  his  acute 
antagonist,  the  colonel  begged  that  if  only  one  more 
cavalryman  should  be  sent  to  the  post  in  response  to 
the  new  outcry  for  protection,  he  should  come  in  the 
shape  of  a  field  officer  to  straighten  out  Devers.  "  He's 
got,"  said  he,  "too  damn  much  individuality  for  me." 

And  not  only  had  more  cavalry  come,  but  the  major 
had  come  and  gone.  If  anything,  said  Stone,  Devers 
was  more  unbearable  than  before,  as  he  now  had  over 
two  hundred  men  to  represent  instead  of  a  little  more 
than  fifty.  Fort  Scott  was  in  the  height  of  the  holi 
day  festivities,  Captain  and  Mrs.  Cranston  with  Miss 
Loomis  and  the  boys  were  just  settling  into  the  new 
quarters  when  Lieutenant  and  Mrs.  Davies  were  an 
nounced  as  en  route  to  join. 

And  now  arose  a  serious  question.  Who  was  to  re 
ceive  and  entertain  the  new-comers  until  they  were  able 
to  furnish  and  move  into  their  own  quarters?  If  any 
one,  his  own  captain  should  be  the  first  to  tender  hos 
pitality,  but  Captain  Devers  made  no  move  whatsoever. 
He  had  a  large  and  interesting  family  of  his  own, 


UNDER  FIRE.  147 

which  was  sufficient  excuse.  There  were  now  two 
classmates  of  Davies  at  the  post,  both  in  the  Fortieth, 
but  they  were  youngsters,  only  a  few  months  in  service, 
who  roomed  together  in  the  upper  story  of  old  Number 
Three,  and  lived  at  the  bachelor  mess,  which  comprised 
the  contract  doctor,  the  sutler's  clerk,  and  certain  of 
the  quartermaster's  employe's.  The  boys  would  give 
11  Dad"  the  best  they  had  and  gladly,  but  they  hadn't 
anything.  Even  the  iron  bunks  on  which  they  slept 
were  borrowed  from  the  hospital.  "  How  can  a  fellow 
invite  a  bride  to  occupy  his  one  room  when  he  don't 
own  C.  and  G.  E.  enough  to  furnish  a  hen-coop?" 
And  by  C.  and  G.  E.,  the  army  abbreviation  for  camp 
and  garrison  equipage,  the  youngster  meant  to  imply 
that  he  had  no  furniture  beyond  a  camp-chair  and  a 
trunk.  Cranston  himself  would  gladly  have  taken 
them  in  but  for  two  reasons, — he  had  not  a  vacant 
room  under  his  roof,  and  Margaret  did  not  seem  to 
wish  it.  It  must  be  confessed  that  there  had  been  an 
outburst  heard  only  by  him — confided  only  to  him — 
when  Mrs.  Cranston  received,  a  few  weeks  after  the 
letter  which  sadly  told  of  Davies's  mother's  death,  the 
brief  and  possibly  constrained  note  from  her  late  pa 
tient  announcing  his  approaching  marriage  to  Miss 
Quimby,  who  he  said  had  been  utterly  devoted  to  poor 
mother  during  her  declining  days  and  those  of  her 
brief  but  painful  illness.  Margaret  could  not  bear 
to  speak  of  it  to  Miss  Loomis.  It  was  Agatha  herself 
who  calmly  asked,  "  And  when  is  he  to  be  married  ?" 
In  answering  Mrs.  Cranston  found  it  impossible  to 
conceal  that  she  thought  it  both  quixotic  and  unneces 
sary.  Miss  Loomis  quietly  but  decidedly  took  the 


148  UNDER  FIRE. 

opposite  view.  No  honorable  man  could  have  done 
otherwise.  They  had  long  been  engaged.  It  was  not 
only  their  own  but  his  mother's  choice.  She  was 
young,  beautiful,  deeply  in  love  with  him.  He  had 
long  been  in  love  with  her.  Doubtless  they  would  be 
very  happy,  as  they  deserved  to  be.  Margaret  flared 
up  again  :  "  I  believe  he's  doing  it  as  he  does  every 
thing  else, — from  sheer  sense  of  duty,  and  that  you 
advised  him  to."  A  random  shot  which  went  nearer 
the  mark  than  the  archer  supposed,  for  Miss  Loomis 
flushed  in  an  instant,  and  made  no  reply.  "  Well !" 
said  Mrs.  Cranston,  "she  longs  only  to  share  the 
humblest  cot,  the  rudest  habitation  with  her  beloved. 
We'll  see  how  she'll  take  to  frontier  life." 

A  detachment  of  thirty  troopers  had  been  ordered 
kept  at  the  new  agency  eighty  miles  to  the  north,  and 
thither  to  his  supreme  disgust  had  Lieutenant  Boyntou 
of  the  Eleventh  been  banished  in  command,  with  the 
promise  of  relief  soon  after  Christmas.  Cranston 
wrote  asking  permission  to  use  the  lieutenant's  vacated 
rooms  for  the  new-comers,  saying  he  would  provide 
servants  and  such  fittings  as  would  be  needed.  Boyn- 
ton  wired  back  yes,  of  course,  and  the  dreary  bachelor 
den  was  made  as  habitable  as  Mrs.  Cranston's  busy 
hands  and  brain  could  make  it.  Other  kindly  women 
lent  their  aid,  as  well  as  pillow  shams,  towels,  com 
forters,  bed  linen,  lamps,  wardrobe,  bureau,  rocking- 
chairs,  lounge,  etc.  The  Davieses  were  to  breakfast 
and  lunch  with  the  Cranstons  each  day,  and  to  be  in 
vited  round  to  dinner  until  their  own  cot  was  ready. 
And  in  thus  wise  did  traditional  army  hospitality 
vindicate  itself.  There  was  that  still  unexplained 


I'XDER  FIRE.  149 

something  hanging  over  Davies's  head,  but  as  yet  he 
knew  nothing  of  it, — had  never  heard  of  the  allega 
tions  so  vehemently,  volubly  laid  at  his  door  when 
Captain  Devers  had  his  own  portals  to  clear.  Nor 
was  the  latter  now  given  to  faintest  reference  to  the 
matter.  This  at  first  glance  may  seem  inconsistent, 
yet  has  its  explanation.  As  matters  now  stood  there 
would  be  no  further  inquiry  into  that  wretched  busi 
ness.  If  Davies  were  once  to  know  his  good  name 
had  been  attacked,  and  that  his  explanation  of  his 
failure  to  reach  his  men  or  give  notice  of  their  plight 
had  been  aspersed,  somebody  might  put  him  up  to 
demanding  a  court  of  inquiry.  Devers  had  even  con 
cluded  it  a  diplomatic  move  to  treat  the  lieutenant  with 
a  courtesy  hitherto  withheld.  Mrs.  Devers  was  already 
instructed  to  be  particularly  civil  to  the  bride. 

Another  thing  had  Devers  done,  and  done  most 
diplomatically.  Realizing  his  own  narrow  escape  and 
suspecting  his  unpopularity  in  the  regiment,  though 
little  dreaming  (which  of  us  does?)  how  ill  he  was 
really  regarded,  the  temporary  battalion  commander 
began  making  friends  of  the  mammon  of  unrighteous 
ness,  so  to  speak,  and  exerting  himself  to  show  his 
juniors  how  courteous  and  considerate  he  could  be  in 
that  capacity.  As  a  general  rule  it  is  the  subaltern 
who  makes  the  greatest  outcry  against  the  disciplinary 
measures  of  his  captain,  or  the  captain  who  most 
vehemently  condemns  the  policy  of  his  colonel,  who 
proves  in  turn  the  most  inconsiderate  and  annoying  of 
superiors.  But  Devers  was  shrewd, — "wise  in  his 
generation."  He  knew  his  reign  must  be  short  at  best. 
He  felt  that  he  had  a  difficult  role  to  play.  He  had 

13* 


150  UNDER  FIRE. 

always  been  an  outspoken  "  company  rights"  man  as 
opposed  to  the  federaliziug  policy  of  the  battalion  or 
regimental  commander.  He  had  bitterly  resented  in 
the  past  any  or  all  interference  with  his  management 
of  his  troop,  yet  had  been  an  unsparing  critic  of  every 
body  else's  system,  and,  as  we  have  seen,  a  nimble  and 
active  opponent  of  anything  like  control  on  the  part 
of  his  commander.  Of  him  it  had  been  predicted  that 
he  would  immediately  begin  to  "  boss"  the  entire  bat 
talion  and  require  his  brother  captains  to  conform  to 
his  own  ways  of  conducting  troop  affairs.  He  had 
always  made  it  a  point  to  try  to  be  cordial  to  other 
fellows'  lieutenants,  but  was  never  liked  by  his  own. 
Mr.  Hastings  cordially  hated  him,  but  Hastings  had 
his  peculiarities,  too.  As  for  the  captains,  Hay  and 
Devers  hadn't  been  on  speaking  terms  for  two  years. 
Truman  could  not  like  him,  yet  had  had  no  open  rup 
ture.  Cranston  and  he  were  personally  and  officially 
antagonistic.  One  and  all,  the  officers  regarded  this 
detail  ,under  his  command  as  one  of  the  most  un 
promising  of  their  experience,  and  could  hardly  contain 
themselves  when  Warren  left.  As  for  Warren,  his 
relations  with  the  senior  troop  commander  had  been  of 
the  stiffest  and  most  formal  character  ever  since  he 
close  of  the  campaign. 

But  just  as  he  had  baffled  his  own  commanders  in 
the  past,  so  now  did  Devers  baffle  all.  Far  from  in 
terfering  or  assuming  control,  he  did  so  only  when  in 
actual  command  at  mounted  inspection  or  drill,  and 
then  in  the  most  courteous  way  of  which  he  was 
capable.  He  declined  to  overhaul  or  inspect  the  quar 
ters  or  stables  of  the  other  troops,  which,  as  battalion 


UNDER  FIRE.  151 

commander,  it  was  really  his  duty  to  do  at  least  once  a 
month.  "  I  have  always  held  that  the  captain  should 
not  be  spied  upon/'  he  said,  aand  I  have  too  much 
confidence  in  the  ability  and  sense  of  duty  of  you 
gentlemen  to  differ  now." 

Hay  was  amazed,  so  was  everybody  up  at  head 
quarters.  Colonel  Tintop  didn't  know  what  to  make 
of  it.  Cranston  presently  decided  he  had  solved  the 
mystery,  but  kept  his  theory  to  himself.  Truman,  a 
little  later,  arrived  at  a  like  conclusion,  and  was  for 
giving  it  abroad,  but  Cranston  counselled  reticence. 
An  appeal  to  Truman's  regimental  pride  was  always 
effective. 

"Never  mind  what's  at  the  bottom  of  it  all,  old 
man.  We're  getting  along  smoothly  and  swimmingly, 
just  like  a  happy  family.  Let's  keep  up  the  illusion 
and  fool  these  fellows  of  the  Fortieth  awhile  longer." 
said  he,  and  Truman  promised.  But  these  fellows  of 
the  Fortieth  were  not  so  easily  fooled.  They  had  been 
on  the  campaign  and  knew  a  thing  or  two  themselves, 
and  as  Devers  and  the  adjutant  speedily  locked  horns 
again  and  Devers  said  some  unjustifiable  things,  the 
infantry  retorted,  and  the  infantry  weapon  had  a  longer 
range.  It  was  the  very  day  of  Davies's  arrival  with  his 
bride  that  this  smouldering  fire  burst  forth.  Devers 
was  in  the  adj  utaut's  office  snarling  about  the  neglect 
of  the  post  quartermaster  to  pay  any  attention  to  his 
requisitions.  Now,  it  was  an  aide-de-camp  and  a 
cavalry  officer  who  had  been  sent  to  the  scene  of  the 
affair  at  Antelope  Springs  to  compare  the  situation 
there  with  Devers's  description  and  rough  sketch,  and 
a  cavalry  officer  who  had  written  what  was  practically 


152  UNDER  FIRE. 

a  vindication  of  Devers's  course.  Stnng  by  the  lan 
guage  of  the  captain,  the  adjutant,  himself  a  veteran 
soldier  of  years  of  war  service  such  as  Devers  had 
never  rendered,  looked  up  from  his  desk  and  sharply 
asked  what  was  Devers's  complaint  at  the  expense  of 
his  regi menial  comrade, — the  quartermaster." 

"  What  I  mean,"  said  Devers,  "  is  simply  this :  that 
just  so  long  as  we  have  to  appeal  to  an  infantry  staff 
officer  I  can  never  get  my  stables  whitewashed." 

"  We-1-1,"  said  Mr.  Leonard,  looking  his  man 
squarely  in  the  eye,  "  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  the 
cavalry  staff  officer  is  sometimes  given  to  too  much 
'  whitewashing/  and  if  an  infantryman  had  been  sent 
instead  of  a  cavalryman  the  most  discreditable  affair 
of  the  late  campaign  would  not  have  been,  as  it  was, 
whitewashed  entirely." 

"  If  somebody  had  whitewashed  old  Differs's  face  he 
couldn't  have  turned  a  sicker  shade,"  said  Tommy  Dott, 
the  only  other  infantryman  present  at  the  moment. 
Cranston  was  there,  so  was  Devers's  own  lieutenant, 
Mr.  Hastings,  and  the  thing  couldn't  be  overlooked. 
The  adjutant  was  as  big  and  powerful  a  man  as  Devers, 
more  so  if  anything,  and  his  black  eyes  were  snap 
ping  like  coals,  and  his  mouth  was  rigid  as  the  jaws 
of  a  steel-trap  as  he  rose  and  squarely  confronted  the 
irate  captain,  and  Devers  knew  and  knew  well  that 
more  than  his  match  was  there  before  him. 

"  This  is  something  you'll  have  to  answer  for,  Mr. 
Leonard,"  said  he,  in  tones  that  trembled,  despite 
every  effort  at  self-control.  "  You  are  witness  to  the 
language,  Captain  Cranston,  Mr.  Hastings." 

"  The  language  will  be  publicly  repeated,  sir,"  said 


UNDER  FIRE.  153 

Leonard,  "  if  you  desire  more  witnesses."  But  by  this 
time  the  colonel  at  his  desk  in  the  adjoining  room 
seemed  to  catch  a  whiff  of  the  impending  crisis,  and 
could  be  heard  calling  his  adjutant.  "  I'll  return  in  a 
moment,  sir,"  said  Leonard,  and  he  did,  but  when  he 
returned  Devers  was  gone. 

And  now  the  questions  were,  what  will  Devers  do 
about  it?  and  what  will  Davies  say  when  he  hears  what 
Devers  has  done?  There  could  be  no  fight,  except  on 
paper,  for  that  was  Devers's  only  field.  He  had  gone 
forth  iii  evident  wrath  and  excitement,  bidding  Crans 
ton  and  Hastings  to  follow.  Hastings  as  his  subaltern 
went  without  a  word.  Cranston  said  he  had  come  to 
transact  certain  business  and  would  follow  when  that 
was  done.  Devers  was  tramping  up  and  down  in  front 
of  his  quarters ;  Hastings,  with  embarrassed  mien  and 
moody  face,  leaning,  his  hands  in  his  pockets,  against 
the  fence. 

"  What  do  you  think  of  that  as  an  insult  to  the 
cavalry?"  asked  Devers  of  his  junior,  as  Cranston 
with  his  usual  deliberation  came  finally  to  the  spot. 

"  I  think  it  provoked,  sir,  by  your  slur  on  the 
infantry." 

"  I  merely  generalized,"  answered  Devers.  "  He 
insulted  both  Archer  and  me."  Archer,  by  the  way, 
was  the  aide-de-camp  in  question. 

"  Well,  then  I  presume  Archer  and  you  can  settle 
it,"  said  Cranston,  coolly. 

"  It's  evident  your  sympathy  for  your  patient  has 
blinded  your  sense  of  justice  to — to  the  rest  of  the 
regiment.  I  looked  for  more  loyalty  from  you,  Crans 
ton." 


154  UNDER   FIRE. 

"  It  is  my  loyalty  to  the  regiment  and  my  sense  of 
justice  that  refuse  to  be  blinded  by  you,  Devers.  I 
cannot  reconcile  Mr.  Davies's  story  with  your  report, 
aud  I  do  not  see  how  Archer  could,  if  indeed  he  ever 
saw  Davies's  story  or  heard  of  it." 

"  Captain  Cranston,  your  protege  may  thank  heaven 
that  I  haven't  yet  preferred  charges  against  him  for 
that  affair,"  said  Devers,  white  with  passion. 

"  It  has  always  been  my  belief,  Captain  Devers,  that 
charges  should  have  been  preferred,  and  the  sooner 
that  it  is  done  the  sooner  will  Davies  be  cleared.  I 
presume  that  you  can  want  nothing  further  of  me." 
And  Cranston  walked  calmly  on. 

And  that  evening  the  bride  arrived.  "The  Par 
son's"  classmates  drove  over  to  the  railway  to  meet  the 
happy  pair  and  escort  them  to  the  post.  The  ladies, 
one  and  all,  had  done  their  best  to  brighten  up  the 
absent  Boynton's  quarters  so  as  to  make  a  fitting  habi 
tation  for  the  new-comers  to  their  ranks.  The  officers 
had  passed  the  word,  as  was  the  expression,  to  keep 
from  Davies,  for  the  present  at  least,  all  mention  of 
these  affairs  in  which  his  name  was  involved.  Some 
body  at  division  head-quarters  must  have  had  an  eye 
on  the  situation,  for  there  came  a  letter  from  a  trusted 
aide  of  the  lieutenant-general  to  old  "Pegleg"  re 
minding  him  of  the  gratitude  we  all  owed  the  young 
man's  noble  father,  and  bidding  him  lend  a  helping 
hand  to  Davies,  and  see  that  his  life  wasn't  made  a 
burden  to  him  by  his  troop  commander.  The  general 
evidently  knew  of  Devers's  idiosyncrasies,  but  Mrs. 
Devers  herself  came  early  to  join  the  circle  of  helping 
hands,  and  announced  that  she  would  be  there  to  wel- 


UNDER  FIRE.  155 

come  the  bride  to  her  temporary  nest ;  and  she  was 
there  in  the  crisp,  cold  starlight  when  the  ambulance 
with  its  spanking  team  drove  briskly  into  the  big 
quadrangle,  and  in  warm  furs  and  happy  blushes  and 
half-shy  delight,  a  very  pretty  girl  was  lifted  from 
the  dark  interior  and  presented  to  the  little  knot  of 
hospitable  friends  awaiting  her  coming. 


CHAPTER    XII. 

WITHIN  the  week  of  their  arrival,  thanks  to  the 
energetic  movements  of  Mr.  Davies,  the  new  couple 
were  established  in  Number  12,  the  outermost  of  the 
long  row  of  officers'  quarters,  the  one  nearest  the  open 
prairie  and  farthest  from  the  official  and  social  centre 
of  the  post,  but  the  best  they  could  hope  for  on  the 
rank  of  a  junior  lieutenant  in  a  crowded  garrison. 
Even  this  roost  was  nuc  to  be  entirely  their  own,  for 
Acting  Assistant  Surgeon  Burroughs  occupied  the  rear 
room  aloft,  and  had  he  chosen  to  fight  for  his  rights, 
would  probably  have  been  accorded  the  entire  floor, 
but  like  everybody  else  he  was  eager  to  make  every 
thing  pleasant  for  the  bride.  Davies  had  expected  no 
such  luck,  and  had  duly  explained  to  her  that  a  com 
bined  dining-,  sitting-,  and  bedroom,  and  an  out-door 
kitchen  was  absolutely  all  that  they  could  expect,  and 
more  than  they  were  really  entitled  to.  But  Almira 
had  enthusiastically  declared,  as  she  had  written,  that 
even  an  Indian  lodge  in  some  vast  wilderness  she 


156  UNDER  FIRE. 

would  rather  share  with  her  Percy  than  a  palace  with 
a  prince  royal.  That  there  was  a  halo  of  romance 
about  this  marriage  was  something  everybody  in  the 
Fortieth  had  heard  and  many  in  the  Eleventh  believed. 
All  manner  of  theories  and  not  a  few  stories  had  been 
put  in  circulation,  and  no  end  of  questions  propounded 
of  Captain  Cranston's  household — who  were  believed 
to  know  all  the  facts — and  not  a  few  of  the  fair  bride 
herself,  who  showed  no  unreadiness  to  enter  into  par 
ticulars,  but  had  evidently  been  cautioned  to  curb  her 
confidences.  Taking  a  leaf  from  the  journalism  of  the 
day,  let  us  congratulate  the  reader  on  having  now  laid 
before  him  or  her  the  first  and  only  authentic  record 
of  the  facts  in  the  case, — let  us  proudly  await  the 
commendation  clue  their  herald. 

It  was  no  part  of  Percy  Davies's  plan  when  he  left 
the  roof  of  his  devoted  nurses  at  Cameron  to  return  to 
the  regiment  within  two  months  a  married  man,  but 
other  forces  had  been  at  work.  A  halo  of  heroism 
had  been  thrown  about  his  head  by  the  events  of  the 
summer.  The  papers  of  his  State  had  made  much  of 
his  prompt  and  soldierly  tender  of  service.  It  was 
before  the  day  of  illustrated  daily  journalism,  or  his 
picture  might  have  appeared  in  several  papers,  all, 
presumably,  copies  from  the  same  photograph,  and  no 
two  of  them  recognizably  alike.  According  to  local 
predictions  he  was  on  the  high-road  to  fame,  rank, 
and  promotion,  and  Almira's  romance  was  redoubled, 
and  her  importance  in  the  community,  in  her  own 
eyes  at  least,  immeasurably  enhanced.  One  paper  in 
deed  had  referred  poetically  to  the  lovely  bride  from 
whose  entwining  arms  at  the  call  of  duty  the  heroic 


UNDER  FIRE.  157 

youth  had  torn  himself,  and  tiie  pen-picture  drawn  of 
A 1  mi iii  was  as  flattering  as  the  wood-cut  might  have 
been  frightful.  Then  something  occurred  that  turned 
her  head  as  nothing  had  before.  Who  should  write  to 
her  but  rich  Aunt  Almira,  her  own  dear  dead  mother's 
long-talked-of  sister,  now  the  wife  of  the  great  rail 
way  magnate,  and  Aunt  Almira  urged  her  niece  to  come 
and  visit  her,  and  Almira  went,  as  pretty  a  village  maid 
as  ever  set  foot  in  a  Pullman  car;  but  Aunt  Almira 
looked  aghast  at  the  rural  cut  of  her  garments,  even 
though  she  gasped  with  envy  over  her  complexion. 
She  drove  her  lovely  niece  forthwith  to  a  great  mart 
where  all  manner  of  feminine  wear  wras  in  readiness 
for  immediate  donning,  and  Almira  was  in  a  heaven 
of  bliss  and  her  aunt  in  corresponding  spell  of  com 
placency  over  the  improvement  instantly  effected. 
This,  however,  was  only  a  temporary  arrangement. 
To  her  own  milliner,  mantua-makers  and  modistes,  and 
what  not,  the  happy,  blushing  girl  was  next  transported, 
and  Urbana  looked  upon  her  with  envy  and  delight 
when  at  the  close  of  that  changeful  moon  she  was  re 
stored  to  friends  and  fireside.  Aunt  Almira  had  given 
her  niece  a  party,  to  which  came  famous  officers  of  the 
army,  stationed  in  the  city,  to  say  nice  things  to  her 
about  her  hero  lieutenant  and  honeyed  words  about 
herself.  There  was  a  reception  at  which  three  cavaliers 
appeared  in  blue  and  gold,  with  medals  on  their  broad 
chests,  great  braids  and  loops  of  glittering  cord  pen- 
dent  from  their  armored  shoulders.  (Percy  at  that 
time,  in  the  rags  of  his  first  uniform  and  a  shocking 
bad  hat  and  the  wreck  of  a  pair  of  soldier  boots,  cold 
and  wet,  faint  and  starving,  was  staggering  through 

14 


158  UNDER   FIRE. 

the  Bad  Lands,  dragging  his  skeleton  horse  behind 
him.)  A  great  military  band  was  playing  thrilling 
waltz  music,  and  a  young  lieutenant-colonel  swung  her 
twice  around  the  whirling  parlor  and  helped  her  to 
champagne  and  praised  her  waltzing,  which  he  declared 
perfect, — and  indeed  she  had  enjoyed  excellent  teaching, 
but,  alas !  at  the  hands  of  Powlett,  not  Percy,  who 
would  not  dance  at  all.  Yes,  the  aide-de-camp  helped 
her  to  champagne  and  more  flattery.  There  was  a 
military  wedding  in  a  great  cathedral  church  one  even 
ing  where  some  of  Percy's  classmates  in  glittering 
uniforms  served  as  ushers  and  crowded  about  her  to 
talk  of  "  Dad/7  as  they  called  him,  and  to  dance  with 
her  and  marvel  among  themselves  later  at  her  beauty, 
her  unsophistication,  and  at  her  being  his  choice.  She 
went  back  to  Urbana  at  the  end  of  the  month,  be 
lieving  army  life  to  be  one  long  round  of  balls,  par 
ties,  music,  dancing,  champagne, — army  men  heroic 
gallants  in  gorgeous  attire  who  danced  divinely  and 
said  the  sweetest  things  ever  whispered  into  dainty 
ears.  She  went  back  with  Aunt  Almira's  promise  to 
provide  still  more  raiment  for  her  trousseau,  and  finally 
with  Aunt  Almira's  tearful  tale  that  her  heart,  too, 
was  with  the  Eleventh,  wherein  her  own  beloved  bov, 
her  idolized  black  sheep,  was  a  trooper  serving  his 
country  on  a  private's  pay  and  under  the  name  of  Bran- 
nan  ;  and  then,  with  a  start,  Almira  bethought  her  of 
certain  wild,  raving  letters  that  she  had  left  hidden  at 
home, — letters  she  had  never  spoken  of  to  anybody,— 
letters  that  had  come  to  her  from  time  to  time  in  the 
spring  and  early  summer  and  then  suddenly  ceased,  as 
Percy's  had,  entirely,  for  there  were  long  weeks  that 


t'XDER  FIRE.  159 

battle  year  when  the  field  column  was  cut  off  from  all 
communication  with  friends  and  home,  and  these  let 
ters,  too,  had  told  of  Brannan, — told  things  she  would 
not,  could  not  tell  Aunt  Almira, — could  not  indeed  tell 
anybody,  for  her  letters,  though  signed  Bertie,  were 
written  by  another  trooper,  whose  address  was  Howard. 
After  such  joys  under  Aunt  Almira's  roof,  life  at 
home  became  insupportable.  Mrs.  Quimby  said  it  was 
Almira  herself,  not  the  life.  Clash  followed  clash ;  there 
came  sneers,  tears,  squabbles,  rows,  and  at  last  practical 
banishment.  Old  Quimby  could  stand  it  no  longer. 
Almira  went  to  live  with  her  prospective  mother-in- 
law,  who  was  not  sorry,  and  who,  hearing  for  weeks 
only  her  side  of  the  story,  believed  all  she  said  about 
home  troubles  and  their  inciting  cause.  She  could  not 
hear  enough  about  Percy,  and  so  who  so  welcome  as 
Almira,  who  never  tired  of  the  topic,  or  of  the  telling 
of  the  officers  she  had  met  and  all  they  had  said  of 
him  and  of  his  spirited  conduct.  Even  a  great  gen 
eral,  she  said,  had  been  presented,  and  before  all  the 
company  had  drawn  her  to  his  broad-sashed,  button- 
studded  bosom  and  kissed  her  mantling  cheek,  as  was 
his  way  with  every  pretty  girl  he  met, — Almira  did  not 
mention  that.  And  then  these  two  women,  invalid 
mother  and  impatient  daughter-in-law  elect,  were  drawn 
closely  together  by  tidings  of  Percy's  illness,  Percy's 
careful  nursing,  etc.,  then  of  Percy's  slow  convales 
cence.  They  could  not  go  to  him,  because  Mrs.  Davies 
was  far  too  feeble.  Almira  raved  about  going, — 
wanted  to  go, — wept,  implored,  and  ranted,  but  her 
father  was  implacable  and  Mrs.  Davies  opposed.  The 
latter  was  sure  everything  was  being  done  that  could 


160  UNDER  FIRE. 

be  done  and  she  needed  Almira.  But  from  the  very 
first  Almira  was  suspicious  of  Mrs.  Cranston  and  Miss 
Loomis,  jealous  of  their  attention,  fearful  of  their  in 
fluence.  Percy,  she  cried,  not  she,  would  prove  faith 
less.  She  would  gladly,  willingly,  eagerly  fly  to  his 
side,  nurse  him  night  and  day,  dwell  with  him  in  bliss 
and  a  wigwam  if  need  be ;  but  he — he  was  cold — he 
was  changing — he  would  prove  faithless  to  his  humble, 
adoring  village  maid,  and  then  there  would  be  nothing 
left  for  her  but  despair.  Then  as  his  convalescence 
progressed  she  became  insistent  and  Mrs.  Da  vies 
weaker.  Almira  poured  forth  her  plaint  to  her  aunt 
by  letter.  Aunt  Almira  gave  another  dinner,  to  which 
some  of  the  staff  were  bidden,  and  a  mellow  symposium 
it  was,  and  over  the  oft-replenished  champagne  glasses 
did  the  kindly  woman  tell  of  Mrs.  Davies's  craving  to 
see  her  boy  once  more,  and  how  the  boy  would  ask 
no  favors,  though  her  husband,  the  magnate,  offered  to 
send  to  the  lieutenant  passes  all  the  way  from  Cheyenne. 
Two  Almiras  prevailed,  and  the  last  month  of  the 
mother's  life  was  blessed  and  gladdened  by  the  pres 
ence  of  her  devoted  son.  Almost  the  last  promise 
asked  of  him  was  that  there  should  be  no  delay  in  the 
marriage  of  her  dear  children,  as  she  called  them, 
though  the  poor  soul  had  many  a  misgiving  now  as  to 
whether  Almira,  after  all,  would  prove  a  worthy  help 
mate  for  her  earnest,  duteous  sou.  Indeed,  she  at  one 
time  had  thought  to  ask  that  they  might  be  united 
before  her  eyes,  but  Almira's  wedding  garment  wasn't 
ready,  and  Almira,  who  had  urged  all  speed,  was  not 
prepared  for  speed  so  great  as  that.  She,  too,  secretly 
nourished  the  idea  of  a  military  wedding  and  a  big 


UNDER  FIRE.  161 

church.  Davies  never  meant  to  retreat  from  his  obli 
gation,  but  he  had  hoped  to  make  the  girl  fully  under 
stand  what  was  before  her, — what  army  life  and  its 
duties  were  really  like, — but  his  every  effort  to  talk  with 
her  gravely  and  earnestly  met  with  reproach  and  tears. 
She  didn't  care  what  it  was,  all  she  asked  was  to  share 
his  lot,  no  matter  how  poor,  how  humble.  It  was  he 
who,  after  for  years  making  her  love  him  so,  was  now 
doubting  and  distrusting  her.  She  knew  how  it  would 
be  when  those  other  women,  instead  of  her,  had  been 
chosen  to  nurse  and  care  for  him.  They  had  usurped 
her  place.  They  had  undermined  her.  That — that 
Miss  Loomis  whom  he  was  holding  up  as  a  model  to 
her — all  this  time !  He'd  break  her  heart,  and  she'd 
just  go — anywhere  except  home — and  die.  She  had  no 
home.  She  had  given  up  everybody — everything  for 
him,  and  now  he  was  tiring  of  her.  Well,  it  was 
pretty  trying,  but  Davies  strove  to  explain  and  to  un 
deceive.  He  didn't  take  her  in  his  arms  and  kiss 
away  her  tears  as  he  ought  to  have  done,  and  plead 
and  pet  and  soothe  as  she  planned  he  should  do,  poor 
child.  It  wasn't  his  way.  He  strove  to  appeal  to  her 
judgment  and  to  her  common  sense,  but  could  not 
reach  them.  And  then  came  to  him  the  great  sorrow 
of  his  mother's  death,  peaceful,  placid,  hopeful  though 
it  was, — and  then  when  she  was  laid  away  and  he 
faced  the  world  again,  he  found  that  there  were  out 
standing  claims  against  the  homestead  of  which, 
through  motives  of  kindness,  both  his  mother  and 
himself  had  been  kept  in  ignorance  during  her  life, 
Unless  he  could  pay  regularly  the  interest  on  a  large 
sum  the  old  place  his  father  loved  must  go.  It  had 
I  14* 


162  UNDER  FIRE. 

ever  been  Percy's  plan  to  hold  it,  and  in  the  fulness 
of  time  to  return  perhaps  to  take  his  father's  place  in 
the  church,  at  any  rate  to  strive  to  do  so  in  the  com 
munity.  He  had  planned  to  lease  it  until  he  and 
Almira  should  be  ready  to  go  to  housekeeping  there  if 
she  remained  faithful  all  these  years,  but  now  only  by 
pinching  could  he  hope  to  save  it  at  all. 

And  this  he  explained,  but  it  made  no  difference.  She 
would  help  him  pinch  and  save  and  starve  if  need  be. 
They  could  live  on  a  crust,  and  she  could  cook  and 
bake  and  darn  and  sew  and  sweep  for  him.  The  one 
thing  she  could  no  longer  do  was  wait,  for  people 
were  pestering  to  know  when  she  was  to  be  married, 
and  some  girls  had  openly  hinted  that  Percy  Davies 
had  changed  his  mind.  Then  came  the  naming  of  the 
day,  and,  as  he  was  in  deep  mourning,  to  her  bitter 
disappointment  he  said  their  wedding  must  be  very 
simple  and  quiet, — just  a  few  friends  present  as  wit 
nesses.  She  had  projected  on  a  smaller  scale  an  imi 
tation  of  the  swell  affair  she  had  seen  in  the  fall,  but 
Percy  wouldn't  even  have  a  best  man.  Then  he  told  her 
gravely  that  as  they  must  live  so  quietly  he  thought 
her  aunt  should  not  lay  out  money  on  party  and  dinner 
dresses  and  expensive  trifles.  Almira  should  dress 
very  simply  as  became  a  poor  soldier's  wife,  and  as  he 
was  in  deep  mourning,  and  they  could  not  go  to  dances 
or  dinners  or  anything  of  the  kind,  that  she  should  so 
notify  her,  but  Almira  could  not  thwart  her  aunt,  and 
Percy's  brow  darkened  when  the  trunks  arrived.  "  I 
fear  she  looks  in  return  for  all  this  for  various  things 
which  I  cannot  possibly  do  for  her  son,"  said  he.  He 
had  not  seen  the  boy  for  months,  and  did  not  know  how 


UNDER  FIRE.  163 

he  might  be  withstanding  the  temptations  surrounding 
garrison  life  after  long  months  of  enforced  abstinence 
in  the  field. 

In  the  days  of  Davies's  convalescence  Cranston  had 
told  him  of  Mrs.  Barnard's  call  and  of  Brannan's 
story,  and  rejoiced  that  Bran  nan  was  Miss  Loomis's 
patient  on  the  train,  and  that  all  through  the  campaign 
the  boy  had  borne  himself  well,  and  all  this  you  may 
be  sure  did  Cranston  write  to  Mrs.  Barnard,  and  most 
gratefully  was  it  all  acknowledged.  She  urged  that 
as  soon  as  possible  now  her  son  should  be  transferred 
to  Cranston's  troop  as  a  surer  and  simpler  path  to  his 
commission.  After  meeting  and  knowing  the  military 
gentlemen  at  home, — people  in  whom  she  had  taken  no 
interest  whatevei  until  her  wayward  son  had  taken  to 
the  army, — she  had  begun  to  picture  him  in  a  staff 
uniform  and  on  duty  with  the  general  at  home,  and, 
motherlike,  was  eager  to  speed  the  consummation. 
And  then  Cranston's  next  letter  told  her  that  her  boy's 
best  friend  and  adviser,  Lieutenant  Davies,  was  from 
Urbaua,  and  then  very  soon  came  the  story  of  his 
engagement  to  Almira  Quimby,  her  own  niece.  It 
was  then  that  Almira  was  sent  for  and  became  Queen 
Paramount,  for  when  do  mothers  cease  to  plan  for 
wayward  sons? 

And  now  the  bride  was  actually  there  in  the  army. 
The  ladies  had  gathered  to  welcome  her.  The  baud 
had  seranaded  her  the  night  of  her  arrival.  The 
colonel  and  his  wife,  captains  and  lieutenants  by  the 
dozen,  came  to  call,  most  of  them  with  their  better 
halves,  some  of  the  latter  refined,  high-bred,  cultured 
women,  some  simple-mannered,  warm-hearted  army 


164  UNDER  FIRE. 

girls  who  knew  no  home  but  the  regiment,  no  life  but 
that  on  the  plains.  Some  vapid,  frivolous,  and  would- 
bo  fashionable,  but  all  full  of  kindly  motive.  She 
could  have  had  luncheons,  dinners,  and  parties  in  her 
honor,  and  secretly  moaned  that  it  could  not  be,  but 
Mr.  Davies's  deep  mourning  prohibited.  She  had  dined 
en  famille  and  in  deep  constraint  at  the  Cranstons  the 
evening  after  her  coming,  and  not  all  Mrs.  Cranston's 
cheery,  chatty,  cordial  way,  or  Miss  Loomis's  courtesy 
and  tact,  could  put  poor  Almira  at  her  ease.  She  was 
set  against  them  from  the  start,  and  it  made  the  feast  an 
ordeal  which  both  Cranston  and  Davies  would  gladly 
have  eliminated  from  memory  could  they  do  so.  The 
latter  had  never  yet  spoken  reprovingly  to  his  wife,  but 
this  night  he  felt  that  something  must  be  said.  Just 
in  proportion  as  her  manner  to  her  hostess  had  been 
unresponsive  and  cold  so  had  her  assumption  of  little 
wifely  airs  and  proprietorship  been  comical.  She 
seemed  bent  on  extracting  from  Percy  public  and  fre 
quent  demonstration  of  his  lover-like  side,  and  her 
appeals  and  endearments  had  furiously  embarrassed 
him.  They  went  home  early,  met  callers  at  their  own 
door,  and  were  kept  up  late.  That  Mrs.  Cranston 
should  have  turned  and  looked  inquiringly  into  Agatha 
Loomis's  face  the  instant  the  door  closed  upon  them 
was  to  be  expected.  Her  eyes  were  sparkling,  her  lips 
twitching  with  the  mental  ebullition  going  on  within ; 
but  Agatha  turned  abruptly  away.  Mrs.  Cranston  then 
sought  to  search  her  husband's  face,  but  the  captain 
was  forearmed  and  chose  to  keep  his  back  towards  his 
better  half  and  to  pull  on  his  arctics  and  overcoat  and 
gather  up  his  little  hurricane  lamp.  The  trumpet 


UNDER   PIRE.  165 

was  sounding  first  call  for  tattoo,  and  though  it  was  no 
concern  of  his,  for  Mr.  Sanders,  his  cheery  subaltern, 
had  just  gone  whistling  by  on  his  way  to  the  troop 
quarters,  Cranston  preferred  to  face  the  falling  snow 
rather  than  those  speaking,  luminous,  quizzical,  ques 
tioning,  tormenting  eyes,  and  so  invented  business  for 
the  occasion.  "  Don't  sit  up  for  me,  Meg,"  said  he, 
and  she  knew  he  simply  would  not  be  drawn  into  a 
discussion. 

But  she  had  to  talk  to  somebody,  and  what  was 
Agatha  for  ?  Agatha  had  palpably  dodged  and  gone 
to  her  room,  and  would  have  been  glad  not  to  come 
down  again.  She  even  went  into  the  boys7  room  and 
romped  with  her  two  young  trooper  cousins  instead 
of  allowing  them  to  go  to  sleep.  So  up  came  Mrs. 
Cranston  and  ordered  her  out,  and  then,  when  the  girl 
would  have  escaped  and  gone  down-stairs  again,  Mar 
garet  confronted  her  in  the  hall,  placed  her  hands  on 
her  shoulders,  and  with  a  world  of  mingled  merriment 
and  commiseration  in  her  tone  said,  or  rather  asked; — 

"Well?" 

"Well  what?" 

"  What  do  you  think  now  ?" 

"  Simply  what  I  have  maintained  all  along.  That 
he  did  right." 

"  But  what  do  you  think  of— of  her  ?" 

And  Miss  Loomis,  shaking  herself  free,  hurried  by 
her  friend  and  down  the  stairs.  She  refused  to  say. 

Perhaps  it  might  have  been  better  had  Mr.  Da  vies 
postponed  his  first  marital  lecture.  It  was  very  gentle, 
very  brief,  but  Almira  had  seen  his  vexation  as  they 
hastened  home  and  had  striven  to  avert  the  coming 


166  UNDER  FIRE 

comments.  She  well  knew  wherein  she  had  erred. 
Public  endearments  of  any  kind  by  word  or  touch  had 
already  been  pointed  out  to  her  as  unconventional  in 
society.  There  were  no  people  on  the  post  in  whose 
presence  he  more  dreaded  such  demonstration  than  the 
two  ladies  of  Cranston's  household.  There  were  no 
people  in  the  world  in  whose  presence  she  was  more 
bent  upon  making  display  of  her  possession.  He  had 
interdicted  the  gown  she  longed  to  wear  and  indicated 
a  simple  black  silk.  In  this  point  she  had  to  yield, 
but  she  had  conquered  on  the  other,  and  now  when  he 
gravely  reminded  her  of  his  caution,  she  declared  she 
thought  these  people  were  his  intimate  friends,  his 
confidants, — not  mere  society  people, — and — of  course 
— if  he  was  ashamed  to  have  them  see — how  dear  he 

was  to  her Oh,  but  why  go  on  with  the  rest? 

Sobs  and  tears  and  swollen  eyelids  and  sore  lamentation, 
and  pleas  to  be  taken  home  again  if  this  was  to  be  the 
beginning  of  their  married  life.  Davies  knelt  alone 
that  night,  and  his  prayer  for  guidance  and  strength 
came  from  the  depths  of  an  anxious  heart. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

ONE  of  the  first  inquiries  made  by  Mr.  Davies  was 
for  Trooper  Brannan.  "  He  is  with  the  detachment 
up  at  the  reservation,"  said  Mr.  Hastings.  "  That's 
our  Botany  Bay.  That's  where  Differs  ships  his  bad 
eggs.  Not  that  Brannan  was  a  bad  egg,  but  that 
Differs  so  regarded  him." 


UNDER  FIRE  167 

"  Had  he  been  drinking  or  in  any  trouble  ?" 
"  Well,  not  exactly  trouble/'  said  Hastings.  "  He 
didn't  get  along  with  one  or  two  of  the  sergeants. 
They  made  f-equent  complaint  of  his  '  lip/  and  the 
old  man  seemed  suspicious  of  him."  Only  one  new 
hand  or  recruit  had  been  selected  to  go  to  the  agency 
with  Boynton's  detachment,  and  that  was  Brannan. 
He  was  sent  to  replace  Fogarty,  who  broke  his  leg, 
just  about  the  time  the  other  troops  came.  When 
Davies  reported  to  his  troop  and  battalion  commander 
for  duty,  Captain  Differs  received  him  with  much 
grave  dignity, — with  a  certain  air  in  which  majestic 
courtesy  was  mingled  with  that  of  forgiveness  for  in 
juries  received,  as  though  he  would  say,  "Let  by 
gones  be  by-gones.  We'll  make  a  fresh  start,  and  in 
consideration  of  your  ills,  inexperience,  and  the  like, 
I'll  try  to  overlook  your  shortcomings  in  the  field." 
Davies  had  never  set  eyes  on  him  from  the  moment  of 
their  parting  at  dusk  that  gloomy  Dakota  evening  to 
the  northwest  of  the  Springs, — from  that  evening  to 
that  of  his  return.  Totally  ignorant  of  much  that  had 
taken  place  during  his  illness,  he  was  ready  to  serve 
his  captain  faithfully,  even  though  he  felt  that  he  could 
not  like  or  trust  him.  They  had  but  brief  converse. 
"Take  all  the  time  you  need  to  get  your  quarters 
ready,  Mr.  Davies.  You  and  Hastings  can  divide  the 
detail  work  of  stables  and  roll-call  between  you,"  said 
Devers.  "  Just  remember  we've  got  an  infantry  ad 
jutant  here  who's  only  too  anxious  to  find  fault  and 
stir  up  trouble  between  us  and  the  post  commander." 

Going  into  the  troop  office  the  day  after  his  return, 
Davies  was  surprised  to  see  a  dark-eyed,  dark-haired, 


168  UNDER  FIRE. 

rather  handsome  young  soldier  at  the  clerk's  desk. 
He  recognized  him  as  one  of  the  recruits  whom  he  had 
brought  out  in  July,  but  of  whom  he  had  seen  very 
little  during  the  campaign. 

"That's  our  new  company  clerk/'  said  Hastings. 
"  One  of  Differs's  latest  pets.  There  are  better  clerks 
and  better  men  in  the  troop.  He  relieved  a  better 
man  when  he  sent  Moran  up  to  the  agency.  But  what 
Devers  is  driving  at  is  past  finding  out.  There's  been 
a  total  shaking  up  since  that — well,  since  the  cam 
paign." 

And  that  this  was  true  Davies  could  see  for  himself. 
Never  having  known  the  troop,  except  in  the  field  on 
the  worst  of  campaigns,  it  took  him  a  few  days  to 
become  accustomed  to  the  change.  Some  of  the  most 
prominent  of  the  troop  sergeants  were  still  on  duty 
with  it,  but  in  their  spick-and-span  uniforms  and  clean 
shaven  cheeks  and  chins  he  found  them  greatly  altered. 
The  first  sergeant  was  the  same,  and  the  relationship 
between  him  and  the  captain  seemed  closer  than  ever. 
Haney  recognized  no  middleman  in  his  dealings  with 
the  troop  commander,  and  had  long  been  allowed  to 
consider  himself  as  of  far  more  importance  than  a 
junior  lieutenant,  a  theory  in  which,  perhaps,  there 
was  much  to  sustain  him.  The  manner  of  this  mag 
nate  to  the  two  subalterns,  therefore,  was  just  a  trifle 
independent.  Two  veteran  corporals  had  stepped  up 
to  an  additional  stripe  vice  Daly  killed  and  McGrath 
missing  in  September.  Some  new  corporals  had  been 
"  made."  None  of  those  whom  Davies  best  knew  and 
most  noticed  during  the  summer  were  among  them. 
He  missed  two  or  three  of  the  old  hands  and  asked 


UNDER  FIRE.  169 

foi  them.  Sergeant  Lutz  had  gone  to  the  agency. 
Corporal  O'Brien  had  been  reduced  for  a  spree  on  the 
home-coming  and  was  sefving  as  private  in  Boynton's 
detachment,  and  Privates  Sercomb  and  Riley  were  up 
there,  too.  The  resultant  vacancies  in  the  troop  had 
teen  filled  by  raw  recruits  who  were  being  energetically 
licked  into  shape. 

When  Cranston  was  asked  why  he  supposed  it  had 
pleased  Captain  Devers  to  send  a  recruit  like  Brannan 
up  to  the  bleak  and  unwholesome  life  at  the  agency, 
Cranston  replied  by  saying,  "Differs  said  it  was  to 
keep  him  out  of  harm's  way.  Up  there  he  couldn't 
get  liquor,  down  here  he  could."  When  Davies  asked 
if  Brannan  had  shown  a  disposition  to  drink  since 
getting  back  from  the  campaign,  Cranston  again  used 
Devers's  authority.  "  Differs  said  lie  had, — two  or 
three  times."  But  when  Cranston  wrote  to  Boynton, 
Boynton  replied  that  young  Brannan  declared  that  he 
had  been  totally  abstemious  since  the  day  after  they 
reached  the  post.  The  day  of  their  coming  in,  he 
arrived  half  frozen  and  all  tired  out,  as  he  had  been 
kept  back  on  wagon  guard,  and  he  was  offered  liquor 
by  Sergeant  Haney  himself,  and  drank  several  times, 
and  was  wretchedly  ill  all  the  next  day  as  a  conse 
quence, — so  ill  that  it  frightened  him,  and  he  swore  off 
more  solemnly  than  before.  Hastings  said,  in  fact, 
that  there  was  a  set  in  "  A"  troop,  a  clique  that  "  stood 
in"  with  the  first  sergeant  and  some  of  his  favorites, 
and  that  no  man  outside  of  it  could  hope  for  recog 
nition  and  no  one  in  it  fear  punishment.  Brannan 
was  not  in  it. 

It  was  a  Wednesday  night,  as  has  been  said,  that 
15 


170  UNDER  FIRE. 

Davies  arrived,  and  not  until  the  following  Wednesday 
could  they  be  installed  in  their  quarters,  which  were 
being  simply  but  prettily  furnished.  Private  Bar- 
nickel  had  assumed  the  duties  of  striker,  and  Mrs. 
Maloney's  strapping  daughter  Katty  was  now  pre 
siding  in  Boynton's  kitchen  as  cook  and  maid-of-all- 
work.  A  tenant  had  been  found  for  the  old  house 
at  home,  who  was  to  pay  a  certain  rental  to  Squire 
Quimby,  which  sum  was  to  be  supplemented  by  a 
monthly  payment  from  his  son-in-law's  scanty  purse. 
"  We  must  live  very  simply  and  economically,  my 
wife,"  said  Davies.  "  At  the  very  least  it  will  take  me 
two  whole  years  to  pay  principal  and  interest  and  set 
us  foot  free ;  but  we  have  few  other  debts.  We  can 
be  warm  and  comfortable.  You  have  all  the  cloth 
ing  you  will  be  apt  to  need  for  a  good  while,  and  I 
will  get  along  with  what  I  have."  And  Mira  had 
received  the  suggestion  with  all  wifely  grace.  They 
went  to  chapel  together  that  first  crisp,  sunshiny, 
wintry  Sunday,  and  all  Fort  Scott — at  least  all  that 
happened  to  be  there  assembled — remarked  on  Al- 
mira's  rich  color — and  furs — and  on  Davies's  reverent 
manner.  He  was  the  only  man  in  the  little  congrega 
tion  who  actually  knelt.  The  old  chaplain  rejoiced 
that  afternoon  when  the  tall  lieutenant  came  in  at 
Sunday-school,  and,  taking  immediate  charge  of  the 
most  turbulent  of  his  classes, — the  big  boys, — held 
them  both  interested  and  respectful  until  the  close  of 
the  session.  Almira  came  too,  and  made  an  impression 
on  the  juvenile  minds  of  some  of  the  laundresses'  chil 
dren,  who  studied  her  pretty  face  and  new  hat  and 
garments  with  close  attention  ;  but  it  gave  her  a  head- 


FIRE.  171 

ache  and  she  would  rather  not  go  to  the  evening  service, 
she  said, — a  service  held  more  especially  for  the  benefit 
of  the  soldiers  and  their  families,  and  but  sparsely 
attended  otherwise.  Davies  went,  however,  and  when 
he  came  home  to  their  temporary  quarters,  found  Al- 
mira,  all  animation,  chatting  with  Mrs.  Flight  and 
Mrs.  Darling,  to  whom  she  had  been  showing  the  con 
tents  of  her  big  trunk.  They  were  called  for  presently 
by  Mr.  Sanders  and  his  classmate  Jervis,  both  of  whom 
had  known  the  "  Parson"  in  his  cadet  days,  but  from 
the  somewhat  immeasurable  altitude  of  a  two  years' 
start,  yet  they  wrere  the  younger  looking  now,  gay, 
debonair  bachelors,  pillars  of  the  social  gatherings  at 
the  post  and  most  delightful  partners,  and,  having 
completed  their  duties  with  tattoo  roll-call,  they  were 
now  in  search  of  these  reigning  belles  and  an  oppor 
tunity  to  talk  over  the  hop  projected  for  the  coming 
Wednesday  night.  Of  course  Mrs.  Davies  would  come, 
said  Jervis,  but  Sanders's  warning  kick  brought  him  to 
consciousness.  "  At  least  I  hope — we  all  hope  you'll 
very  soon  be  able  to  attend  our  parties,  Mrs.  Davies. 
I  suppose  you've  reformed  the  Parson  and  taught  him 
to  waltz."  Mira  looked  at  her  husband,  and  she  knew 
not  just  what  to  say. 

Davies  smiled  gravely  and  said  no,  he  feared  that  he 
was  too  old  and  awkward  to  learn  even  at  the  Point, 
but  that  Mrs.  Davies  was  very  fond  of  dancing,  and 
by  and  by,  perhaps,  they  would  attend.  Then  the  chat 
flowed  merrily  on,  of  the  lovely  time  that  they  had  all 
enjoyed, — that  is,  the  garrison  people  had  enjoyed  all 
summer,  and  the  pleasant  associations  they  had  formed 
with  the  gentlemen  from  town,  and  how  much  lovelier 


172  UNDER  FIRE. 

it  would  be  now.  And  while  they  were  talking, 
through  the  thin  partition  which  separated  Mr.  Boyn- 
ton's  official  and  personal  quarters  from  those  of  Lieu 
tenant  and  Adjutant  Leonard  there  came  the  sound  of 
sacred  music, — Mrs.  Leonard  at  her  piano,  her  clear, 
true  voice  blending  with  the  deep  resonant  bass  of  her 
soldier  husband  and  the  sweet  treble  of  the  children, 
and  Davies  stopped  to  listen.  It  was  a  hymn  his 
father  loved,  one  they  often  sang  at  the  old  church  at 
home, — 

"  Son  of  my  soul,  Thou  Saviour  dear." 

It  brought  sweet  and  sacred  memories.  It  spoke  of 
home  and  holy  influences,  of  mother  love  and  father's 
blessing  and  children's  hope  and  faith.  It  filled  his 
heart  with  reverence  and  his  eyes  with  tears.  The 
babble  and  chat  for  an  instant  were  silenced,  and  then 
Mrs.  Darling  spoke. 

"  The  worst  of  these  army  quarters  is  that  you  can 
hear  just  what's  going  on  next  door ;  but,"  she  added, 
cheerfully,  "  you'll  soon  be  where  you  won't  be  both 
ered  on  one  side,  at  least." 

Sanders  gave  a  queer,  quick  glance  at  the  speaker 
and  then  at  Davies.  Jervis  plunged  into  an  imme 
diate  rhapsody  on  the  subject  of  Mrs.  Leonard's  chil 
dren,  whom  he  declared  to  be  the  best  little  beggars  he 
ever  knew,  unless  it  Avas  Cranston's.  "  Of  course," 
he  added,  diplomatically,  "I  can  safely  praise  them 
in  your  presence,  ladies,  as  you  have  none  of  your 
own." 

Then  conversation  languished,  for  Davies  was  silent 
and  Mrs.  Davies  uninspired.  The  visitors  left  and 


UNDER   FIRE.  173 

went  laughing  down  the  row,  their  gay  voices  ringing 
in  the  frosty  air. 

"  How  long  had  they  been  here,  dear  ?"  asked  Da- 
vies  as  he  returned  to  the  fireside. 

"The  ladies?  Oh,  I  don't  know.  Quite  a  little 
while.  They  were  so  interested  in  everything, — so 
friendly.  I  quite  forgot  my  headache  while  they  were 
here.  Now  it  seems  to  be  coming  on  again,  and  if 
you  don't  mind  I  think  I  won't  sit  up, — unless  some 
body  else  is  coming." 

"  There  will  hardly  be  any  more  callers  to-night," 
he  answered,  gravely.  "  If  your  head  aches  you 
might  be  better  for  going  early  to  bed,  and  I  will  sit 
here  and  read  awhile." 

But  the  wandering  thoughts  refused  to  be  chained  to 
the  page  before  him.  His  heart  was  full  and  vaguely 
troubled.  "  I  shall  be  better  for  a  turn  in  the  cold 
air,"  he  thought,  and  so,  throwing  his  cape  over  his 
shoulders,  he  quietly  left  the  house. 

It  was  just  after  ten,  a  still,  sparkling  winter's 
night.  Across  the  snowy  level  of  the  parade  the  long 
rows  of  wooden  barracks  lay  dark  and  silent,  no  lights 
burning  except  in  the  window  of  some  company  office 
or  first  sergeant's  room.  Those  were  the  days  of 
"  early  to  bed  and  early  to  rise,"  and  every  man  was 
supposed  to  be  sleeping  by  ten  so  as  to  be  up  and 
doiug  stable  duty — or  nothing — at  dawn.  Officers 
and  ladies,  the  privileged  class  of  the  army,  made  their 
own  regulations  as  to  domestic  hours  of  retiring.  The 
enlisted  man  slept  or  was  supposed  to  sleep  "  by  order." 
Mr.  Davies,  finding  it  essential  to  his  comfort  to  sally 
forth  and  imbibe  free  air,  had  no  one  to  say  him  nay, 

15* 


174  UNDER  FIRE. 

— Mrs.  Davies  having  retired, — and  might  wander  the 
livelong  night  about  the. post  at  will.  Trooper  Blaney 
or  Private  Rentz,  on  the  contrary,  might  toss  for  hours 
on  sleepless  pillow,  and  could  only  grin  and  bear  it. 
It  meant  GO  many  dollars  "blind,"  or  such  other  pun 
ishment  as  a  court-martial  might  inflict  to  a  soldier 
caught  out  of  barracks  after  the  sound  of  the  signal 
to  extinguish  lights. 

Already,  in  the  quarters  of  his  next-door  neighbor, 
the  adjutant,  the  parlor  was  darkened,  and  except  for 
the  studious  head  of  the  family,  now  poring  over  some 
precious  volume  in  the  privacy  of  his  den,  the  house 
hold  had  gone  aloft.  Davies  paused  a  moment,  irreso 
lute.  To  his  right  the  walk  extended  only  a  short 
distance.  There  were  but  two  more  houses.  To  his 
left  lay  the  main  length  of  the  line, — the  colonel's, 
the  surgeon's,  the  cavalry  commander's,  and  most  of 
the  captains'.  Cranston's  roof,  however,  was  one  of 
the  two  to  the  right,  and  thither  Davies  turned.  Dim 
lights  were  burning  in  the  little  army  parlor,  as  he 
could  see  through  the  half-drawn  curtain.  A  shadow 
flitted  across  the  dormer  window  above  him, — Mrs. 
Cranston's.  The  other  windows  in  the  upper  floor 
were  dark.  He  wanted  to  go  in  and  commune  with 
Cranston,  the  man  of  all  others  Avhom  he  most  liked, 
but  he  shrank  from  ringing  their  bell  at  so  late  an 
hour.  Elsewhere  along  the  row  many  a  window  was 
brilliantly  illuminated  and  the  social  life  of  the  post 
seemed  in  full  flow.  The  Cranstons  were  home-keep 
ing  folk  as  a  rule,  "  not  at  all  sociable,"  said  some  of 
the  dames  of  the  Fortieth,  and  yet  they  were  highly 
regarded  throughout  the  garrison. 


UNDER   FIRE.  175 

Except  for  a  mere  bow,  as  they  were  going  to  morn 
ing  service,  he  had  not  met  Mrs.  Cranston  or  Miss 
Loomis  since  the  dinner  of  Thursday  evening, — the 
evening  of  Almira's  provincial  display  of  endearments, 
for  between  Katty  and  Striker  Barnickel  they  had 
been  enabled  to  breakfast  at  Boynton's  quarters,  and 
had  lunched  and  dined  elsewhere  among  the  many 
hospitably  disposed  throughout  the  garrison.  Davies 
wanted  to  see  and  talk  with  the  captain,  but  to-night 
he  shrank  unaccountably  from  meeting  either  of  the 
ladies.  It  is  under  such  circumstances  that  many  a 
man  finds  Fate  unkind.  Even  as  he  stood  there  the 
hall  door  flew  open  and  a  bright  beam  from  the  astral 
lamp  within  shot  athwart  the  road.  A  blithe  voice  called 
back  in  answer  to  some  presumable  remonstrance. 
"  What  nonsense,  Margaret !  I  can  run  over  there  as 
well  as  not  and  be  back  in  a  moment."  The  door 
closed,  and  muffled  in  her  long  fur-lined  cloak,  Miss 
Loomis  was  at  the  gate.  "  Why  !  Mr.  Davies  !"  she 
exclaimed  in  surprise. 

"  I  was  just  wondering  whether  I  might  venture  to 
ring  and  ask  for  the  captain,"  he  hesitatingly  said. 
"  I  wanted  very  much  to  see  him." 

"  Captain  Cranston  is  out.  That  is  how  it  happens 
that  /  am  going  out,"  she  spoke,  with  prompt  and 
cheery  tone.  "  Old  Sergeant  Fritz  is  very  low  to-night, 
and  you'll  find  the  captain  there,"  and  she  indicated 
the  way  to  the  married  men's  quarters  over  to  the 
southwest.  "  I  have  to  run  over  to  the  hospital,  for 
Louis's  cough  is  very  troublesome,  and  we  happened 
to  be  entirely  out  of  medicine." 

"Well,  my  talk  with  the  captain  can  wait,  Miss 


176  UNDER  FIRE. 

Loomis.  Let  me  be  your  orderly  for  to-night.  What 
can  I  get  for  you  ?" 

"  Indeed  you  shall  not !"  she  answered,  with  quick 
decision.  "  I'm  accustomed  to  doing  my  own  errands. 
Good-night."  And  with  that  she  turned  independently 
away  to  where  the  dim  lights  in  the  hospital  glimmered 
at  the  eastward. 

"  Then  your  ex-patient  may  at  least  trot  along  as 
escort/7  said  he,  as  promptly  placing  himself  by  her 
side  and,  army  fashion,  tendering  his  arm. 

"  No,  thank  you,"  she  answered,  resolutely  muffling 
her  cloak  about  her  and  rebelling  against  the  rising 
impulse  of  vexation,  "I  do  not  need  support,  and 
indeed,  Mr.  Davies,  I  need  no  escort.  I'm  quite  ac 
customed  to  going  about  the  post  by  myself.  I — I 
would  very  much  rather  you  went  on  to  see  Captain 
Cranston,  as  was  your  intention." 

"And  I  would  very  much  rather  walk  with  you 
to  the  hospital,"  he  answered,  with  calm  decision. 
"  Come." 

She  had  stopped  as  though  striving  to  dismiss  him 
from  her  side,  but  he  ignored  her  wishes  entirely. 
His  lips  were  curving  into  something  very  like  a 
smile  of  amusement,  and  it  nettled  her. 

"To  be  perfectly  frank  with  you,  Mr.  Davies,  I 
wish  now  that  I  had  made  a  reconnoissauce  before 
venturing  out  so  boldly.  If  there  is  anything  I  hate 
it  is  this  idea  of  burdening  a  man  with  escort  duty, 
Just  as  though  one  needed  to  be  guarded  at  every  step. 
It  is  the  dependence  of  the  thing  I  despise, — a  depend 
ence  that  is  entirely  forced  upon  us." 

"  Well,  so  long  as  the  escort  is  not  forced  upon  you, 


UNDER  FIRE. 

I  hope  you  will  not  despise  it.  I  am  going  with  you 
because,  as  it's  after  taps,  you  may  need  help  in  rousing 
the  steward.  He  was  up  all  last  night,  I'm  told,  with 
Fritz,  and  may  be  abed  now." 

And  so  her  protests,  not  her  scruples,  were  silenced. 
Down  the  row  they  rapidly  walked,  under  the  spark 
ling  heavens,  through  the  keen,  exhilarating  air  of  the 
wintry  prairie,  passing,  door  by  door,  the  quarters  of 
the  officers  of  the  garrison,  some  still  brightly  lighted, 
others  dark  and  silent.  She  was  talking  fast  and  with 
a  nervous  impulse  as  they  hurried  by  the  colonel's,  the 
broad  portals  of  whose  official  residence  were  just  then 
thrown  open  to  admit  another  party  to  join  the  little 
circle  sure  every  evening  to  be  surrounding  Mrs. 
Stone,  and  welcoming  voices  and  laughter  floated  out 
on  the  night.  The  moment  before  they  passed  the  gate 
whence  he  had  issued  forth  barely  three  minutes  earlier. 
The  hall  light  burned  low  as  he  left  it,  the  parlor 
shades  were  down.  Almira  presumably  was  nursing 
her  headache  in  the  sanctity  of  the  chamber  at  the 
rear.  Boynton's  upper  story  was  occupied  by  a  junior 
subaltern  of  the  Fortieth,  who  was  believed  to  sleep 
there  at  odd  hours,  but  was  generally  to  be  found 
almost  anywhere  else. 

"  Mrs,  Davies  looked  so  well  to-day,"  remarked  Miss 
Loomis.  "  I  hope  she  finds  her  welcome  pleasant." 

"  She  is  very  well,  except  for  a  headache  that  sent 
her  early  to  bed  to-night,"  he  answered.  "And  her 
welcome  from  everybody  has  been  most  kind  and 
cordial,  and  from  none  more  so  than  from  Mrs.  Crans 
ton  and  yourself.  You  are  always  adding  to  the  obli 
gations  I  am  under." 


178  UNDER  FIRE. 

"  I  shall  quarrel  with  you  some  day  if  you  talk  of 
obligations,  Mr.  Davies.  But  I'm  so  sorry  to  hear  of 
her  headache/7  she  went  on,  quickly,  as  though  to  pre 
vent  argument  on  the  point.  "  The  chapel  does  get 
very  hot  and  stuffy  by  evening  service.  Ought  they 
not  to  air  it  after  Sunday-school  ?" 

"  It  would  be  a  good  plan.  But  my  wife  did  not 
go  to-night.  Her  headache  began  earlier  in  the  day. 
I  thought  the  close  atmosphere  of  the  chapel  would 
only  increase  it  and  so  counselled  her  remaining  home/' 

He  remembered,  however,  that  he  had  counselled  her 
going  early  to  bed,  but  found  her  engrossed  in  her 
volatile  callers  on  his  return.  It  was  all  very  natural. 
Upon  spirits  like  Almira's,  communion  with  such  gay 
and  frothy  natures  acted  like  champagne.  He  was 
trying  to  believe  he  was  glad  she  could  be  so  readily 
benefited.  The  houses  grew  darker  as  they  approached 
the  east  end.  Even  the  hall  lamp  was  extinguished 
at  Devers's  quarters,  though  there  were  lights  aloft. 
Devers  had  a  storm-door,  another  instance  of  his  indi 
viduality,  as  even  the  colonel's  quarters  were  not  so 
embellished.  It  was  a  perfectly  still  night,  not  a 
whiff  of  wind  astir,  and  yet  Davies  could  have  sworn 
the  storm-door  swung  slowly  open  a  foot  or  so  as 
they  neared  the  gate,  then  suddenly  shut  to.  What 
was  more,  he  felt  that  his  companion  had  seen  and 
noted  the  same  circumstance,  for  she  drew  an  instant 
closer  to  his  side,  then  as  quickly  seemed  to  recollect 
herself  and  edged  away. 

Davies  looked  back  over  his  shoulder.  So  certain 
was  he  that  the  storm-door  had  been  opened  and  closed 
by  some  unseen  hand  within  the  wooden  casing  that 


UNDER  FIRE.  179 

he  would  have  turned  to  investigate,  but  for  his  com 
panion.  He  could  not  well  leave  her.  They  had  now 
reached  the  east  end,  right  in  front  of  the  set  of  quar 
ters  which  were  so  soon  to  be  his  own.  The  hospital 
loomed  up  dark  and  massive  across  an  open  space  two 
hundred  yards  away.  Only  a  narrow  foot-path  had 
been  cleared  from  the  end  of  the  sidewalk  to  the  main 
entrance  of  the  big  building.  He  had  not  thought  to 
put  on  his  over-shoes,  and  so,  letting  Miss  Loomis 
lead,  Davies  fell  behind.  Now  that  they  were  away 
from  ear-shot  of  the  quarters  their  talk  languished. 
Davies  at  least  was  thinking  of  that  mysterious  door 
and  wondering  if  he  should  not  have  looked  into  the 
matter  then  and  there.  Now  it  was  too  late.  If  some 
garrison  prowler  were  the  cause,  he  had  doubtless  by 
this  time  taken  alarm  and  slipped  away ;  if  Captain 
Devers  or  any  of  his  household  were  the  "  power  be 
hind/'  then  it  was  none  of  Davies's  business.  Hurry 
ing  up  the  creaking,  snapping  steps  of  the  hospital, 
they  found  the  office-door  locked.  "  I  more  than  sus 
pected  you  would  need  me,"  said  Davies.  "  Will  you 
wait  one  moment?"  He  tiptoed  away  through  the 
long  corridor,  found  the  drowsy  attendant  in  the  big 
ward,  and  learned  that  the  steward  had  gone  to  his 
little  home  in  Sudstown,  but  would  return  in  five 
minutes.  It  was  nearer  fifteen  when  he  came,  and 
meantime  Miss  Loomis  and  her  escort  seated  them 
selves  in  the  warm  corridor  and  chatted  in  low  tone  as 
befitted  the  time  and  place.  In  one  of  the  little  wards 
a  suffering  soldier  was  moaning,  evidently  in  penance 
for  recent  spree,  and  weakly  imploring  drink  of  a 
stolid  nurse. 


180  UNDER  FIRE. 

"Don't  make  a  fellow  mad  with  misery,"  they 
heard  him  plead.  "  You  know  where  to  get  it.  You 
know  it's  worse  than  hell  to  have  to  choke  off  short." 

"  Of  course  I  do/'  was  the  brutal  answer.  "  If  I'd 
never  knew  it  before,  I'd  learned  it  that  night  on  the 
train  when  you  could  have  sent  me  help  and  wouldn't." 

"  My  God,  Paine  !  you  asked  me  to  steal  from  the 
captain's  flask.  I  simply  ask  for  what's  my  own " 

But  the  voice  was  suddenly  hushed,  for,  springing 
to  his  feet,  Mr.  Davies  hurried  to  the  door.  "  Who 
is  this — who  have  you  here?"  he  asked.  "  You — 
you  ?  Brannan  !" 

And  then,  as  a  slender,  graceful,  womanly  shape 
came  noislessly  in  and  appeared  by  the  lieutenant's 
side,  quivering,  shaking  in  an  agony  of  shame  and 
misery  and  nervousness,  the  lonely  patient  threw  him 
self  over  towards  the  wall,  and  burying  his  distorted 
face  in  his  arms,  burst  into  a  passion  of  tears,  the 
attendant  meantime  slinking  out  into  the  hall. 

"  Come  back  here,  my  man,"  ordered  Davies,  in  low, 
stern  voice,  while  Miss  Loomis,  without  one  instant 
of  hesitation,  threw  off  her  cloak,  drew  a  chair  to  the 
bedside,  and  laid  her  soft  white  hand  upon  the  tumbled 
head  of  the  wretched  boy.  Unwillingly,  sullenly,  the 
man  obeyed. 

"  You  are  Paine,  of  '  A'  troop,  are  you  not  ?" 

"  Yes,  sir.  And  the  captain's  orders  and  the  doc 
tor's  were  that  he  shouldn't  have  a  drop." 

"  Never  mind  that,  When  did  he  get  here?  How 
did  he  come  ?" 

"With  the  mail-carrier  this  morning,  from  the 
agency,  sir,  and  he'd  been  drinking  on  the  way  and 


COME   BACK   HERE,    MY   MAN. 


Page  180. 


UNDER   FIRE  181 

got  to  going  harder  as  soon  as  lie  reached  the  post. 
The  captain  ordered  him  confined  and  the  doctor  sent 
him  here.  But  my  orders  was " 

"  Never  mind  your  orders.  What  I  want  to  know 
is,  who  detailed  you,  and  when  were  you  detailed  for 
hospital  duty  ?" 

"  The  captain  sent  me  over,  sir,  after  Brannan  was 
taken  in,  and  he's  been  begging  like  that  for  a  drink 
for  an  hour  back." 

Meantime,  with  great  sobs  shaking  his  form,  Bran- 
nan  lay  there  saying  no  articulate  word.  Miss  Loomis 
gently  drew  an  arm  from  underneath  his  head.  "  Let 
me  have  your  wrist,  Brannan, "  she  gently  said. 
"You  know  your  old  nurse  of  last  summer,  don't 
you?"  And  in  another  moment  her  practised  touch 
was  on  the  sufferer's  pulse.  In  silence  Davies  awaited 
the  result.  Her  eyes  filled  with  grave  anxiety  as  she 
counted  the  feeble  fluttering, — a  mere  shadow  of  the 
vigorous  throb  of  a  soldier's  heart.  "  This  man  ought 
not  to  be  here — neglected,"  she  murmured  to  Davies. 
Then,  rising,  she  turned  to  the  attendant.  "Go  at 
once  to  Dr.  Burroughs  and  say  that  Miss  Loomis  asks 
him  to  come  here  as  quick  as  he  can." 

And  Private  Paine  concluded  it  best  to  go  without 
further  words.  The  steward,  returning  to  his  post, 
was  met  at  the  steps  by  the  young  contract  surgeon 
coming  over  from  his  corner  on  the  run.  A  moment 
more  and  the  two  stood  in  presence  of  the  sufferer  and 
of  his  nurse.  She  smiled  kindly  upon  the  new-comers. 
"  I  sent  for  you,  doctor,  because  I  knew  you  had  not 

been  informed  of  Brannan's  state.    His  pulse "  and 

here  she  lowered  her  voice  so  that  only  Burroughs  and 

16 


182  UNDER  FIRE. 

Davies  could  hear, — "is  so  thin  and  wiry  as  to  be 
almost  gone.  My  father  would  say  he  needed  stimu 
lant  at  once,  and  treatment  later.  See  for  yourself." 

And  the  daughter  of  the  well-known  and  beloved 
old  army  surgeon  knew  her  ground  and  never  faltered. 
Burroughs  made  brief  examination  and  no  remon 
strance.  In  another  minute  the  steward  was  adminis 
tering  brandy  and  water  in  a  tablespoon  while,  anxious 
to  re-establish  himself,  the  young  doctor  was  explain 
ing.  "  I  had  no  previous  knowledge  of  the  case,"  he 
stammered.  "Captain  Devers  told  me  of  the  man's 
arrival  and  downfall,  and  I  ordered  him  into  hospital 
at  his  request,  and, — yes, — I  did  say  no  stimulants  of 
any  kind.  The  captain  so  urged,  and  of  course  that 
would  be  the  customary  mode  of  treatment  in  most 
cases,  but  in  a  case  like  this,  of  course,  had  I  been 


"  Oh,  certainly,"  she  interposed,  with  the  same  gra 
cious  smile  and  manner.  "  It  was  because  I  knew 
you  hadn't  been  made  aware.  Now  we'll  soon  be  able 
to  make  him  comfortable,  and  then  when  he's  on  his 
feet  again  he  can  tell  us  how  it  all  happened."  Again 
her  white  hand  was  laid  upon  the  haggard  forehead. 
"Courage,  Brannan.  Don't  worry.  We'll  get  you  to 
sleep  presently.  Now,  doctor,  I  want  to  send  some 
medicine  and  a  note  to  Mrs.  Cranston.  With  your 
permission  I  mean  to  stay  here  a  while." 

"I  will  be  your  messenger,  Miss  Loomis,"  said 
Davies,  "as  the  attendant  doesn't  seem  to  have  re 
turned,  and  then  I  can  let  Mrs.  Davies  know  that  I 
shall  come  here  again,  myself." 

As  he  sped  along  the  row,  note  and  medicine  phial 


UNDER   FIRE.  183 

in  band,  Davies  was  surprised  to  see  his  captain's  storm- 
door  wide  open  and  a  light  shining  through  the  tran 
som  within.  A  light  was  moving  through  the  parlor, 
too,  but  Davies  paid  no  further  heed,  left  the  note  and 
medicine  in  Mrs.  Cranston's  hands  with  brief  explana 
tory  word,  then  hurried  back  to  Boynton's  quarters. 
He  had  turned  down  the  light  when  he  went  out  for 
his  walk  and  had  left  his  wife  in  the  darkness  of  her 
room,  trying,  presumably,  to  go  to  sleep.  He  found 
the  lights  turned  on  again,  and  Almira,  a  heavy  shawl 
bundled  about  her  shoulders,  sitting  with  white,  scared 
face,  trembling  and  twitching,  at  the  big  coal  base- 
burner  in  what  was  called  the  parlor. 

"  Why,  Mira  !"  he  cried.  "  What  has  happened  ? 
Are  you  ill?"  And  he  bent  over  as  though  to  fold 
her  in  his  arms,  but  she  shrank  away. 

"Don't!"  she  cried.  "I  was  frightened.  You— 
you  were  gone  so  long.  I  thought  you'd  never  come 
back."  Then  to  his  utter  amaze  she  burst  into  a  wild 
fit  of  hysterical  weeping.  "  Oh,  take  me  away, — take 
me  away  from  this  dreadful  place,  or  I  shall  die, — I 
shall  die I" 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

MR.  DAVIES  was  very  late  in  returning  to  the  hos 
pital  that  night.  For  nearly  half  an  hour  Almira 
sobbed  and  shivered  and  refused  to  be  comforted,  and 
yet  failed  to  explain.  To  his  urgent  plea  to  be  told 
the  cause  of  her  fright  and  distress  she  could  give  no 
intelligible  reply.  "Oh,  I  don't  know.  I  heard 


184  UNDER  FIRE, 

noises,  or  voices,  or  something.  I  was  all — all  un 
strung,  I  suppose.  You — you  talked  to  me  so  strangely, 
so  cruelly  the  other  night,  and  Fve — I've  been  think 
ing  of  it  all  day — all  day,  and  when  you  went  away — 
and  didn't  come  back,  I — I  thought  all  sorts  of  things. 
I  supposed  you'd  gone  there,  you  know  where, — to 
those  women, — those  women  who  despise  me  and  show 
it."  It  brought  on  fresh  moans  and  tragic  wringing 
of  hands,  and  new  outpouring  of  salty  tears  when  he 
presently  told  her  where  he  had  been,  but  she  would 
not  listen  to  the  cause  of  his  detention  at  the  hospital. 
It  was  more  than  enough  that  he  had  been  out  walking 
with  her, — with  her,  in  the  dead  of  night.  That 
seemed  the  only  fact  she  cared  to  grasp,  and  that  she 
crooned  over  with  bitter  wailing  until  his  patience  was 
exhausted. 

"  This  is  childish  and  absurd  !"  he  said.  "  It  is 
unworthy  of  you,  my  wife,  and  unjust  to  Miss  Loomis 
as  well  as  unjust  to  me.  It  is  not  possible  that  this 
has  caused  all  your  terror  and  distress.  What  noises 
— what  sounds  did  you  hear  ?" 

But  these  now  she  had  forgotten.  In  the  light  of 
his  confession,  as  she  termed  it,  all  other  calamities  had 
faded  into  naught.  He  gradually  calmed  her  suffi 
ciently  to  induce  her  to  return  to  bed,  but  when  he 
announced  that  he  must  go  again  to  the  hospital  to  see 
how  Brannan  was  getting  on,  her  lamentations  were 
piteous.  In  vain  he  reminded  her  that  Brannan  was 
her  own  cousin,  the  only  son  of  her  aunt  and  benefac 
tress.  She  would  listen  to  none  of  it.  Brannan  was 
only  an  excuse  to  enable  him  again  to  go  and  meet 
Miss  Loomis,  and  finally,  with  white  face  and  set,  rigid 


UNDER   FIRE  185 

lips,  Davies  turned  and  left  the  house,  walking  rapidly 
to  the  hospital. 

Miss  Loom  is  still  bent  over  the  patient,  who  seemed 
now  dozing.  Dr.  Burroughs  sat  beside  her  at  the 
moment,  but  had  been  away,  he  explained,  to  see  old 
Fritz  again.  A  new  attendant,  a  shy,  awkward  young 
fellow  from  Devers's  troop,  was  hovering  about  the 
bedside,  and  Davies  glanced  at  him  inquiringly.  "  What 
became  of  Paine?"  he  asked,  and  the  steward  shook 
his  head  and  shrugged  his  shoulders. 

"  Captain  Devers  took  him  away,"  was  the  answer. 
The  doctor  arose  and  stood  by  Davies  a  minute. 

"  I  don't  know  what  to  make  of  that  captain  of 
yours,"  he  said.  "Either  he  or  I  will  keep  out  of 
this  hospital  in  future.  He  came  here  and  'raised 
Cain'  with  my  steward  to-night,  all  on  account  of  Bran- 
nan  ;  then  went  over  to  the  troop  barracks  foaming  like 
a  mad  bull.  I  fancy  he  means  to  make  it  rather  lively 
for  you." 

"  Never  mind  me,  doctor,  so  long  as  this  poor  boy's 
coming  out  all  right.  How  is  he  ?" 

"  Doing  nicely  now,  but — I  wish  I'd  understood  the 
case  before.  Fm  bound  to  say  Captain  Devers  misled 
me  entirely.  She's  the  doctor  he  needed,"  said  he, 
with  a  jerk  of  his  head  towards  the  grave,  beautiful 
girl  bending  over  the  soldier's  pillow,  one  hand  still 
slowly,  tenderly  stroking  back  the  dark  hair  about  his 
temples. 

"  Will  you  say  good-night  to  her  for  me  and  escort 
her  home  ?  Mrs.  Davies  is  not  well  and  I  must  re 
turn  to  her,"  said  Davies,  "that  is, — unless  I  am 
needed  here." 

16* 


186  UNDER   FIRE 

"  No,  go  by  all  means.  Only  I  may  need  you  at 
the  colonel's  office  in  the  morning  when  this  thing  has 
to  be  fought  out.  Dodge  your  captain,  meantime,  if 
you  can." 

"  I  know  of  no  reason  why  I  should  dodge  him  or 
anybody,"  said  Davies,  with  rising  color.  "  I  have 
done  no  wrong." 

But  on  the  steps  without,  as  he  hurried  away,  the 
lieutenant  met  a  man  who  differed  with  him  as  to  that 
— who  differed  with  most  people  as  to  everything, 
and  that  he  had  been  working  up  the  case  in  his 
own  mind  against  his  subaltern  there  was  no  room  for 
doubt. 

"By  what  right,  sir,  do  you  assume  to  over-ride  my 
authority  and  undo  my  orders  ?  Time  and  again  last 
summer  I  had  occasion  to  caution  you  against  inter 
ference  in  the  handling  of  the  men  and  the  manage 
ment  of  the  troop,  and  now  no  sooner  do  you  rejoin 
than  here  you  are  taking  advantage  of  my  being  prob 
ably  abed  and  asleep  to  countermand  my  positive  in 
structions  and  overthrow  my  efforts  at  discipline." 

Without  one  word  of  reply  Mr.  Davies  assumed  the 
position  of  attention  and  stood  like  a  soldier  before  his 
furious  commander.  "  I  say  again,  sir,"  began  Devers, 
"  that  you  have  deliberately  sought  to  deride  my  au 
thority  and  have  connived  at  the  disobedience  of  my 
orders.  You  knew  perfectly  well  what  orders  I  had 
given  in  the  case  of  Brannan,  and  you  dared  to  set 
them  aside." 

Still  not  a  word  in  reply. 

"  This  silence  is  contemptuous.  Why  don't  you 
speak,  sir?" 


UNDER  FIRE.  187 

"  I  simply  deny  each  and  every  allegation,  Captain 
Devers." 

"  Denial  is  ridiculous,  Mr.  Davies  !  Haven't  I  the 
evidence  of  my  own  senses, — of  the  steward  and  the 
attendant  ?  Don't  I  know  ?  By  God,  sir " 

"One  moment.  Oblige  me,  captain.  I  wish  to 
behave  with  all  deference  and  respect,  but  when  you 
use  blasphemy " 

"  Oh,  blasphemy  be  damned !  Don't  attempt  to 
teach  me  !  I've  had  too  much  of  your  puritanical, 
psalm-singing  business.  I  condoned  your  wretched 
misconduct  of  last  September  in  the  hope  that  you 
might  do  better,  but  now  the  time  has  come  for  you  to 
be  given  the  lesson  you  deserve.  Thiugs  have  reached 
a  pretty  pass  when  an  officer  who  leads  his  men  into 
ambush  and  then  deserts  them  in  their  extremity " 

"Captain  Devers!" 

"  No  dramatics  now.  You're  not  in  the  pulpit " 

The  steward  came  forth  at  the  moment,  and  with  in 
stant  modulation  of  tone  Devers  went  on.  "  You 
may  not  realize  what  you  have  done,  but  you  have 
done  it  all  the  same,  despite  every  effort  of  mine  to 

teach  you  the  proper  course What  is  it,  steward  ?" 

he  broke  off,  as  though  suddenly  aware  of  that  official's 
presence. 

"The  doctor's  compliments,  sir,  and  the  new  man 
the  captain  has  sent  over  to  relieve  Paine  seems  to  lack 
intelligence;  he  won't  do  at  all  as  an  attendant." 

"Tell  the  doctor  I  sent  the  best  I  had,  and  that 
he  begged  to  be  relieved  because  he  couldn't  serve  so 
many  masters.  When  the  post  surgeon  hears  of  this 
night's  work  he  will  doubtless  have  his  say  as  to  the 


188  UNDER  FIRE. 

manner  in  which  his  subordinates  have  trifled  with 
their  duties.  I  will  make  no  change. — You  appear  to 
be  waiting,  Mr.  Davies.  That's  all,  sir,  for  to-night. 
You  may  go." 

With  a  face  almost  as  white  as  the  snowy  expanse 
of  the  parade,  the  lieutenant  still  stood  there,  quiver 
ing  with  wrath  and  wrong.  He  looked  as  though  a 
torrent  of  reply  were  trembling  on  his  lips,  yet  by 
supreme  effort  he  curbed  the  impulse.  His  chest 
heaved  once  or  twice.  His  lips  were  twitching.  His 
hands  were  clenched  and  convulsive,  but  at  last,  with 
one  long  look  into  his  captain's  eyes  while  the  latter 
was  going  on  to  say  something  about  the  necessity  of 
his  junior's  accepting  his  admonition  in  proper  spirit, 
Davies  turned  abruptly  and  sprang  down  the  steps. 
Two  soldiers  stood  there  in  the  dusk,  where  they  must 
have  heard  every  word  that  was  said.  One  was  the 
new  company  clerk,  Howard,  the  other  Paine.  Nei 
ther  lifted  a  hand  in  salute  to  the  officer.  Both  turned 
their  backs  and  feigned  to  be  deeply  interested  in  con 
versation  of  their  own. 

It  was  Mr.  Hastings's  duty  that  week  to  supervise 
reveille  roll-call  and  attend  morning  stables.  He  was 
surprised,  therefore,  as  he  went  bounding  over  the 
parade,  to  see  his  junior  sub  on  the  porch  wrapped  in 
a  heavy  overcoat.  Presently,  after  reporting  to  the 
post  adjutant,  as  was  the  local  custom,  the  various 
officers  came  scattering  back  to  their  own  firesides,  the 
infantry  subs  to  turn  in  for  another  snooze,  the  cavalry 
to  swallow  a  cup  of  coffee  before  going  down  to  stables. 
Sanders  hailed  the  lonely  figure  with  characteristic 
levity. 


f'XDER   FIRE.  189 

"  Hello,  Parson  !  Up  for  all  day  and  meditating  a 
sermon  ?" 

Davies  ignored  the  question  and  went  straight  to 
business.  "  I  want  to  see  Captain  Cranston  as  soon  as 
possible.  Does  he  go  to  stables  this  morning?" 

"  Xever  misses  'em.  What's  up?  Hope  Mrs.  Da- 
vies  isn't  ill." 

"  Mrs.  Davies  isn't  very  well,  but  it's  on  personal 
business  I  want  to  see  the  captain.  I'll  go  down  with 
him." 

"  Come  over  to  my  house  and  have  some  coffee, 
or  a  cocktail,"  said  Sanders,  with  cheery  hospitality. 
"Just  what  you  need,  old  man.  You  look  as  if  you'd 
been  dragged  by  the  heels  through  a  knot-hole." 

"  Baruickel  is  making  some  coffee  for  me,  thank 
you,  Sanders.  It  will  pull  me  together  all  right,  I 
fancy."  And  Sanders  went  whistling  on.  The  world 
and  its  cares,  the  flesh  and  the  devil  all  dropped  lightly 
on  the  shoulders  of  this  young  sinner,  and  either  rode 
there  or  fell  to  the  ground  rinnoticed.  Garrison  days 
were  .but  a  merry-go-round  with  him.  "  If  that's  a 
specimen  of  the  bridegroom  cometh,"  said  he  to  him 
self,  "  I've  got  no  more  use  for  matrimony  than  I  have 
for  the  catechism."  And  doubtless  to  this  gay  and 
nonchalant  spirit  the  deeply  religious  temperament  of 
the  Parson  seemed  a  sombre  and  repellent  thing, — a 
thing  to  be  lamented,  yet  indulged  as  something  too 
solemn  or  sacred  for  remonstrance. 

The  morning  air  was  bitter  and  Davies  felt  his  toes 
and  fingers  tingling.  The  boards  cracked  and  snapped 
under  his  tread,  so,  rather  than  disturb  Almira,  he 
stepped  out  on  the  walk  and  began  pacing  up  and 


190  UNDER  FIRE. 

down,  still  burning  with  indignation  over  the  events 
of  the  previous  night.  There  had  been  a  fresh  fall  of 
snow  Sunday  morning,  and  though  the  walks  and 
paths  were  cleared,  the  soft  white  mantle  lay  like  a 
glistening  carpet  over  the  parade  and  prairie  and  along 
the  slanting  roofs  of  the  quarters.  There  was  an  open 
space  of  sixty  feet  from  outer  wall  to  wall  along 
officers'  row,  and  a  paling  or  picket  fence,  running  at 
right  angles  to  the  roadway  in  front,  divided  this  space 
equally,  so  that  each  set  of  quarters  had  its  own  yard. 
Davies  had  remarked  with  a  smile  the  previous  even 
ing,  the  contrast  presented  by  the  Leonards's  yard  at 
the  west  end  and  his  at  the  east  of  the  double  set  in 
which  they  lived.  Leonard's  yard  was  criss-crossed, 
cut  up  in  every  direction  by  tracks  of  sled-runners 
and  sturdy  little  rubber  boots.  His  own  lay  like  a 
flawless  sheet  without  even  a  kitten's  footprint  to  mar 
its  virgin  surface.  Now  as  he  strode  rapidly  westward 
again  and  came  in  front  of  the  Leonard  playground, 
he  noted  once  more  the  traces  that  spoke  so  eloquently 
of  happy,  healthy  childhood,  of  rosy  cheeks  and 
sparkling  eyes  and  merry  laughter.  Then  he  turned 
back  to  his  own,  still  tramping  briskly  in  the  endeavor 
to  send  the  blood  to  his  finger-tips,  and  then  coming  in 
view  of  what  at  nightfall  had  been  an  unbroken  cov 
erlet  of  snow,  Davies  stopped  short,  amazed.  Straight 
from  the  corner  at  the  front  where  the  fences  met, 
straight  as  a  lance,  went  the  footprints  of  a  man,  in 
long,  unhesitating  stride,  to  a  point  immediately  under 
neath  the  closed  blinds  of  the  window  behind  which 
his  wife  now  lay  placidly  sleeping.  Davies  stood  and 
studied  the  tracks  a  moment,  then  went  to  the  point  of 


UNDER  FIRE.  191 

meeting  of  the  front  fence, — a  flat-topped  affair, — with 
its  picketed  offshoot.  Beyond  doubt  the  maker  of 
those  tracks  had  swung  himself  over  the  fence  at  that 
point,  dropped  lightly  to  the  ground  inside  and  gone 
straightway  to  that  side  window.  There  he  must  have 
stood  a  moment  or  two,  for  the  snow  was  trampled. 
Thence  the  tracks  led  around  to  the  back  of  the  house. 
Returning  to  his  gate  and  hall-way,  Davies  tiptoed 
noiselessly  through  the  little  dining-room  to  the  kitchen 
in  the  shed  at  the  back.  There  Barnickel  was  sleepily 
starting  a  fire,  and  the  door  leading  into  his  little  den 
farther  back  discovered  the  soldier  blankets  of  his 
bunk  tumbled  over  as  though  he  had  just  arisen. 
The  door  to  the  yard  was  still  bolted.  Davies  slipped 
the  bolt  and  stepped  out  on  the  plank  walk  leading 
from  the  kitchen  to  the  gate  in  the  rear  fence.  These 
had  been  tramped  by  many  feet  in  that  direction,  and 
by  only  one  pair  in  the  other.  Coming  around  from 
the  side  of  the  house  were  the  tracks  of  the  same  foot 
gear,  the  heavy  soldier  arctics  worn  then  by  officers 
and  men  alike,  that  he  had  marked  at  the  front.  They 
led  to  a  point  underneath  the  rear  or  north  window  of 
Almira's  room,  and  there,  after  evident  shifting  and 
tramping  of  a  minute  or  two,  had  turned  sharply  away, 
led  straight  past  the  kitchen  door  and  were  lost  in  the 
general  run  of  those  towards  the  gate. 

"  What  time  did  you  come  in  to  bed  last  night, 
Barnickel?"  asked  the  lieutenant,  at  the  kitchen  door. 

"About  10.30,  sir.  I'd  been  over  to  Sergeant 
Walsh's  quarters.  I  went  in  to  see  if  the  lieutenant 
wanted  anything,  sir,  but  he'd  turned  down  the  lights 
and  gone  out." 


192  UNDER  FIRE. 

"Yes.  And  now  did  you  hear  any  noise, — any 
footsteps?" 

"  No,  sir.  Only  Mrs.  Davies,  sir ;  she  was  stirring 
round,  excited  like,  and  peeped  out  of  her  room  to  ask 
did  I  know  where  the  lieutenant  was." 

"  Did  you  come  in  through  the  front  hall  or  the 
back  way  ?" 

"  The  back  way,  sir.  There's  standing  orders  against 
enlisted  men  crossing  the  parade  or  hein'  on  the  officers' 
sidewalk." 

Davies  paused  a  minute.  "  Give  me  your  broom,'' 
said  he,  and  taking  it  through  the  partly  opened  door 
he  carefully  turned  the  knob  behind  him,  swept  away 
the  traces  leading  to  the  rear  window,  swept  and  ob 
literated  those  at  the  back  and  side,  as  far  as  and  in 
cluding  those  under  the  eufct  window,  then,  tossing  the 
broom  to  the  door,  strode  round  the  house  to  the  front 
just  as  stable  call  was  pealing,  and  Captain  Cranston 
in  huge  beaver  skin  overcoat  and  cap  came  forth  into 
the  frosty  day.  The  instant  he  caught  sight  of  Davies 
the  captain  hastened  to  him  and  drew  his  arm  within 
his  own. 

"  The  very  man  I  want  to  see,  and  you  are  waiting 
for  me !" 

"  Yes.     I  presume  you  know  why." 

"  I've  heard.  Come  with  me  to  stables,  by  way  of 
the  hospital.  I  want  to  see  how  Branuan  passed  the 
night." 

"  I  cannot  go  in,  captain.  I  am  virtually  forbidden 
further  connection  with  the  case." 

"  I  understand,  but  I  am  not  included  in  the  order, 
and  wouldn't  heed  it  if  I  were."  Plainly  Captain 


UNDER   FIRE.  193 

Cranston  was  in  aggressive  mood.  Other  officers, 
issuing  from  their  quarters,  set  forth  across  the  parade, 
but  catching  sight  of  the  popular  troop  commander, 
pulled  up  as  though  to  wait  for  him,  then  looked  sur 
prised  to  see  him  earnestly  talking  with  the  pale-faced 
subaltern,  going  straight  on  eastward.  Directly  in 
front  of  Devers's  house  they  met  that  officer  himself, 
a  bundle  of  papers  in  his  hand.  In  the  "  Tactics"  of  the 
day  one  of  the  foremost  paragraphs  read,  "  Courtesy 
among  military  men  being  indispensable,  it  is  enjoined 
on  all  officers  to  salute  each  other  on  meeting,  the 
junior  tendering  the  first  salute,"  or  words  to  that 
effect,  but  it  was  a  rule  far  more  honored  in  the  breach 
than  the  observance.  The  post  commander  was  about 
the  only  one  to  receive  such  recognition  from  his 
juniors,  all  others,  as  a  rule,  contenting  themselves 
with  a  jovial  u  'Morning,  Jack."  "  How  are  you, 
major?"  and,  possibly,  an  off-hand  and  perfunctory 
touch  of  the  cap.  Only  among  sticklers  for  military 
propriety  like  Leonard  was  the  salute  tendered  to 
superiors.  In  nine  cases  out  of  ten  it  meant,  when 
given,  that  personal  relations  were  strained.  Ap 
proaching  the  battalion  commander  Mr.  Davies  looked 
him  straight  in  the  eye  and  raised  his  gloved  right 
hand  to  the  cap  visor.  Cranston,  with  the  most  off 
hand  nod  imaginable,  gruffly  and  shortly  said,  "  Good- 
morning,"  without  so  much  as  a  tempering  "sir"  or 
"  captain,"  and  hurried  sturdily  by.  Devers  flushed, 
looked  after  the  two  an  instant  as  though  tempted  to 
call,  then  turned  back  across  the  parade  and  was 
presently  swallowed  up  in  the  doorway  of  the  troop 
office. 

i       n  17 


194  UNDER   FIRE. 

Leaving  Davies  outside,  Cranston  ran  into  the  hos 
pital,  and  presently  reappeared.  "  Sleeping  quietly," 
said  he,  "  and  the  poor  devil  would  have  been  in  the 
terrors  of  delirium  tremens  if  Devers's  orders  had  been 
carried  out  and  the  doctor  hadn't  been  sent  for.  Ko\v 
tell  me  the  whole  story.  Agatha  has  told  me  her 
version." 

Lashed  tight  to  the  heavy  picket  rope,  the  horses 
were  revelling  in  the  keen  morning  air  and  slanting 
sunshine,  nipping  at  each  other's  noses,  challenging, 
with  sparkling  eye  and  tip-tilted  ear,  each  well-known 
face  and  form  of  officer  or  man  to  caress  or  frolic, 
snapping  and  squealing  at  each  other  across  the  line, 
occasionally  rearing  and  plunging  in  uncontrollable 
jollity.  Bending  to  their  work  in  their  white  stable 
frocks  and  overalls,  the  men  were  making  brush  and 
currycomb  fly  over  the  shining  coats  of  their  pets, 
carefully  guarding,  however,  the  long,  thick  winter 
crop  of  hair,  for  no  man  could  say  how  soon  they 
might  have  to  take  the  field  and  face  unsheltered  the 
keen  Dakota  blasts.  The  frosty  quadrangle  was  merry 
with  musical  tap,  tap  of  the  metal  comb,  and  the 
snort  and  "  purrr"  and  paw  of  hoof  of  the  spirited 
bays.  Little  Sanders,  an  enthusiastic  horseman,  was 
darting  in  and  out  amoug  his  charges,  praising  this 
man's  work,  condemning  that,  and  occasionally  seizing 
brush  and  comb  himself  and  giving  a  practical  lesson 
to  some  comparative  novice.  And,  leaving  matters  for 
the  nonce  to  his  subaltern,  Cranston  paced  gravely  up 
and  down,  Davies  by  his  side,  absorbed  in  close  con 
verse.  Captain  Devers  left  his  line  to  Mr.  Hastings 
and  did  not  appear  at  stables  at  all.  "  That  means 


UNDER   FIRE.  195 

lie's  concocting  an  epistle/'  said  Hastings,  with  a  grin. 
"  He's  hobnobbing  with  his  new  pet,  Howard,  and 
somebody'll  get  the  benefit  of  an  official  letter  this 
morning." 

"  We  expect  you  1o  breakfast,"  said  Cranston,  as  he 
bade  the  lieutenant  good-bye  at  the  gate,  "  and  I  hope 
Mrs.  Davies  is  feeling  all  right  now." 

But  Mrs.  Davies  was  not.  She  was  so  far  from 
well  that  she  had  decided  to  remain  in  bed.  Xo,  she 
wanted  no  breakfast,  no  doctor,  no  anybody.  All  the 
same,  Mrs.  Cranston  sent  her  a  dainty  tray  on  which 
was  displayed  a  most  appetizing  little  feast,  and  Al- 
mira's  resolution  gave  way  at  sight  of  it.  Wisely 
Mrs.  Cranston  refrained  from  calling,  but  other  women 
were  presently  on  hand  to  cheer  and  sympathize  when 
at  ten  o'clock  the  commanding  officer's  orderly  ap 
peared  with  the  commanding  officer's  compliments  and 
he  desired  to  see  Mr.  Davies  at  the  office. 

"  Precisely  as  I  told  you,"  said  Cranston,  who  was 
waiting  for  him  on  the  walk  without.  "  It  was  best 
to  let  Devers  make  the  attack.  Now  for  the  defence." 

Colonel  Stone  was  at  his  desk.  "  Come  in,  Crans 
ton,"  he  called,  as  he  caught  sight  of  the  soldier  he  so 
much  liked.  "  I  want  to  see  you,  too.  Er, — come  in, 
Mr.  Davies,"  he  added  in  a  tone  less  cordial  and  more 
official.  "  Orderly,  ask  Mr.  Leonard  to  step  in  here. 
Then  shut  the  door  and  remain  outside.  Er — sit 
down,  gentlemen,  er — sit  down." 

And  then  in  came  Leonard,  silent,  even  saturnine ; 
a  massive  fellow  with  a  mind  as  broad  as  his  shoulders, 
a  head  full  of  reading  and  research  and  knowledge  of 
his  profession,  but  the  quietest  man  in  the  garrison 


196  UNDER  FIRE. 

withal,  and  Leonard  simply  bowed  to  the  new-comers, 
dropped  into  the  chair  indicated  by  his  commander, 
then  dropped  his  eyes  upon  the  floor  and  waited. 

Pegleg  dandled  a  pencil,  end  for  end,  between  his 
fingers  a  minute,  reflectively  studying  a  knot-hole  in 
the  floor  that  yawned  through  a  corresponding  breach 
in  the  matting.  Then  he  flung  the  stump  of  a  cigar 
into  a  sawdust  spittoon  and  began. 

"  Mr.  Da  vies,  I  sent  for  you  and  I  also  invited  in 
Captain  Cranston  because  I  want  to  hear  your  side  of 
a  singular  case.  In  an  official  letter  to  the  post  adju 
tant,  Captain  Devers  charges  that  you  went  to  the 
post  hospital  last  night,  ordered  the  attendant  out  of 
the  room,  and  proceeded  to  usurp  control  of  a  patient 
under  the  doctor's  care, — that  you  deliberately  over 
threw  his  authority  and  actually  told  the  attendant  his 
orders  were  of  no  account.  This,  if  true,  is  a  most 
serious  matter,  but  I  have  learned  that  there  are  many 
sides  to  a  story.  What  is  yours  ?" 

"As  briefly  as  possible,  colonel, — and  just  as  I  an 
swered  Captain  Devers, — I  deny  every  such  allegation." 

"  Well,  you  certainly  went  to  the  hospital  ?" 

"I  certainly  did,  sir;  simply  to  get  some  medicine 
for  Captain  Cranston's  little  son  and  without  an  idea 
that  Brannan  was  there." 

"  Then  you  didn't  go  with  the  purpose  of  seeing 
Brannan  ?" 

"  Certainly  not,  sir.  I  believed  him  to  be  at  the 
agency  until  I  heard  his  voice.  I  knew  the  young 
man  well  from  an  experience  last  summer  and  during 
the  campaign." 

"  But  what  about  ordering  the  attendant  out  ?" 


UNDER  F1RK.  197 

"  That  is  absurd.  I  found — or  rather" — and  now  the 
hot  color  of  embarrassment  flew  up  to  his  pale  forehead 
— "  Miss  Loomis,  who  is  experienced  in  such  matters, 
found  Brannan  in  very  dangerous  plight, — his  pulse 
nearly  gone.  He  was  verging,  perhaps,  on  an  attack 
of  delirium.  She  considered,  as  did  I,  that  the  doctor 
ought  to  see  him  at  once,  and,  as  his  quarters  were  at 
the  nearest  corner,  barely  two  hundred  yards  away, 
she  told  the  attendant  to  hurry  for  him.  I  should 
have  done  the  same  thing,  but  it  was  unneces 
sary.  The  attendant  should  have  returned  at  once, 
but " 

"  Well,  didn't  you  undertake  to  administer  brandy  ?" 

"Not  at  all,  sir.  The  doctor  himself  ordered  that 
on  his  arrival." 

"  At  your  urging  or  suggestion  ?" 

"  I  certainly  approved  it,  sir,  but  I  did  not  urge." 

"  Well,  then,  what  does  it  mean — your  having  told 
the  attendant  his  orders  were  of  no  account?" 

"I  did  nothing  of  the  kind,  sir.  The  attendant 
once  or  twice  began  talking  about  his  orders,  but  I  had 
no  time  to  listen.  I  did  say,  never  mind  your  orders, 
or  something  like  that,  but  he  knew  perfectly  well 
what  I  meant.  I  inferred  what  the  orders  were, — I 
simply  had  no  time  to  hear  them." 

"  Well,  the  attendant  declares,  or  at  least  Captain 
Devers  says  he  declares,  you  twice  choked  him  off  when 
he  tried  to  tell  you  what  his  orders  were  by  saying 
he  shouldn't  mind  such  orders.  Here,  Leonard,  the 
shortest  way  will  be  to  read  the  whole  letter.  You  do 
it."  And  slowly  Leonard  took  the  official  sheet  and 
began. 

17* 


198  UNDER  FIRE. 

"  POST  ADJUTANT,  FORT  SCOTT,  NEBRASKA. 

"  SIR, — It  is  with  extreme  regret  that  I  feel  it  necessary  to 
report  to  the  commanding  officer  certain  occurrences  tending  to 
the  overthrow  of  good  order  and  military  discipline  in  the  com 
mand.  Yesterday  morning  there  arrived  from  the  Ogalalla 
Agency,  Trooper  Brannan  of  Troop  '  A,'  Eleventh  Calvary,  who 
had  been  ordered  hither  by  Lieutenant  Boynton  as  attendant  or 
escort  to  the  mail-rider.  First  Sergeant  Haney  reported  to  me  at 
ten  o'clock  that  the  man  had  evidently  been  drinking  on  the  way 
and  was  in  an  advanced  stage  of  intoxication.  On  examination 
of  the  man  I  was  convinced  that  he  needed  medical  attendance 
rather  than  incarceration,  and,  instead  of  sending  him  to  the 
guard-house,  as  is  customary  in  such  cases,  caused  him  to  be  taken 
to  the  hospital,  where  under  Dr.  Burrough's  orders  he  was  put  to 
bed  and  an  attendant  from  my  troop  was  detailed  with  instruc 
tions  to  see  that  no  stimulants  of  any  kind  were  given  him.  All 
seemed  to  progress  favorably  until  shortly  after  taps,  when  Trooper 
Paine,  the  attendant  in  question,  reported  to  me  that  Lieutenant 
Davies,  Eleventh  Calvary,  entered  the  ward,  accompanied  by  a 
member  of  the  household  of  Captain  Cranston,  declared  the  treat 
ment  of  the  patient  unjustifiable  and  ordered  him,  the  attendant, 
out  of  the  room.  On  Paine's  attempting  to  define  his  orders  he 
was  abruptly  silenced  and  again  ordered  to  leave.  Being  on  duty 
under  the  instructions  of  superior  authority,  Trooper  Paine  again 
strove  to  explain  his  orders,  and  this  time  was  curtly  told  that  he 
should  pay  no  heed  to  such  instructions,  and  was  then  sent  out  of 
the  hospital.  The  trooper  called  the  doctor  on  his  way  and  then, 
very  properly,  reported  his  embarrassing  dilemma  to  me.  I  closely 
questioned  him,  and  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  language 
imputed  to  Lieutenant  Davies,  whose  propensity  to  interfere  in  the 
discipline  of  the  troop  I  had  frequent  occasion  to  notice  and  re 
buke  during  the  campaign  of  the  past  summer.  As  courteous 
and  kindly  admonition  had  no  effect,  and  as  the  officer  in  question 
has  seen  fit  to  treat  my  words  with  apparent  disdain,  I  am  com 
pelled  to  invoke  the  support  of  the  post  commander  in  suppress 
ing  the  spirit  of  insubordination  of  which  this  is  so  flagrant  an 
instance.  u  yerv  respectfully, 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 
".TARED  B.  DEVERS, 
"  Captain  Eleventh  Cavalry.11 


UNDER  FIRE.  199 

When  Leonard  had  finished  reading  he  folded  the 
paper  and  looked  dreamily  at  the  cobweb  in  the  corner. 
He  wished  to  be  understood  as  having  no  opinion 
whatever  to  express.  Cranston  sat  in  silence  with  lips 
compressed  under  his  heavy  moustache.  Davies  never 
moved.  His  blue  eyes  were  fixed  unflinchingly  on  the 
swarthy  face  of  the  veteran  adjutant  until  the  latter 
had  finished  reading,  then  sought  the  eye  of  his  com 
mander  as  though  for  permission  to  speak. 

"  Well,  Captain  Cranston,  what  do  you  think  of  the 
letter?"  asked  Pegleg,  after  a  moment's  silence. 

"  I  think  it  very  ingenious,  sir." 

"  Now,  gentleman,  the  captain  says  that  when  he 
attempted  to  remonstrate  with  Mr.  Davies  last  night 
he  was  treated  with  absolute  contempt,  and,  Mr.  Da- 
vies,  he  says  that  you  refused  to  answer." 

"  I  strove  to  control  my  tongue  and  temper  both, 
colonel,  and  not  to  behave  with  disrespect.  I  did  not 
answer  him  at  once,  but  it  was  from  no  lack  of  impulse 
to  do  so." 

Pegleg  reflected  a  moment,  then  addressed  himself 
to  Cranston.  "  I  confess  that  this  matter  is  one  that 
causes  me  much  embarrassment,"  said  he.  "  The  post 
surgeon  says  that  he  was  not  aware  of  the  man  being 
sent  to  the  hospital  at  all,  and  that  it  was  Dr.  Bur- 
roughs's  case.  Dr.  Burroughs  says  he  did  not  con 
sider  the  man  drunk,  but  took  Captain  Devers's  state 
ment,  as  he  knew  the  man  well.  Captain  Devers  asked 
that  he  be  put  in  hospital  to  keep  him  from  drinking, 
because  he  knew  the  prisoners  got  liquor  whenever 
they  had  money,  and  it  wouldn't  be  safe  to  have  him  in 
the  guard-house.  Is  there  anything  peculiar  about 


200  VNDEH  FIRE. 

this  Brannan  ? — any  reason  why  he  should  be  treated 
by  his  captain  on  a  different  system?" 

"  Colonel  Stone/7  said  Cranston,  "  I  knew  Brannan's 
mother,  a  wealthy  and  prominent  woman  in  society. 
Mr.  Davies  can  perhaps  tell  yon  even  more,  but  I  do 
not  think  Captain  Devers  knows  anything  of  Brannan's 
past." 

Leonard's  dark  eyes  came  down  from  the  cobweb 
and  studied  Cranston's  face  as  though  he  wished  to  ask 
a  question,  and  Pegleg  saw  it.  He  leaned  on  Leonard, 
and  had  grown  to  respect  his  judgment. 

"  What  were  you  about  to  ask?"  said  he. 

"  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  antecedents  of 
that  new  company  clerk  of  Captain  Devers  ?"  asked 
the  adjutant,  thus  authorized. 

"  Nothing  whatever,"  said  Cranston,  wheeling  round 
in  his  chair  and  looking  curiously  at  the  big  infantry 
man. 

"Well, — pardon  me,  Mr.  Davies.  Had  you  never 
met  or  known  him  ?" 

"Never,  except  that  he  was  one  of  the  party  of 
recruits  I  came  out  with  last  summer." 

"  But  you  knew  Brannan,  did  you  not?" 

"  Yes,  he  was  the  man  who  handled  a  nozzle  with 
me  in  showering  a  pack  of  rioters  among  the  recruits 
last  June." 

"  But  I  mean  you  knew  him  before  that,  did  you 
not?" 

t( Never,"  answered  Davies,  in  surprise.  "I  never 
saw  him  in  my  life." 

And  then  Leonard  in  turn  reddened  and  looked  con 
fused,  and  shut  his  jaws  like  a  clam. 


VNDER  FIRE.  201 

"  Orderly,"  sang  out  the  colonel,  "  go  and  give  my 
compliments  to  Captain  Devers,  and  say  I  wish  to  see 
him."  Then,  turning  to  Cranston,  "We  may  as  well 
get  to  the  bottom  of  this  business  right  here  and  now. 
I  hate  trickery." 


CHAPTER    XV. 

BUT,  as  on  more  than  one  previous  occasion,  Cap 
tain  Devers  was  not  immediately  to  be  found.  He 
was  not  at  his  quarters,  not  at  the  store  nor  the  stables. 
Mr.  Hastings  said  later  that  just  after  Cranston  and 
Davies  went  to  the  adjutant's  office,  Devers  came  from 
his  house  and  went  over  to  the  barracks.  Sergeant 
Haney  did  not  know  where  the  captain  had  gone.  Not 
until  10.30  o'clock  did  the  orderly  succeed  in  finding 
him,  coming  up  the  bluff  from  the  river  bottom, 
whither  he  had  ridden,  he  said,  to  look  over  the  pros 
pective  ice  crop.  By  that  time  Pegleg  was  tired  of 
waiting  and  had  dismissed  his  visitors.  They,  how 
ever,  were  recalled  in  a  minute,  and  when  Captain 
Devers  was  made  acquainted  with  Mr.  Davies's  positive 
denial  of  his  allegations,  Captain  Devers  promptly 
shifted  the  responsibility  to  the  shoulders  of  the  at 
tendant,  Private  Paine,  who  had  persisted,  he  said,  in 
his  story  despite  his,  Devers's,  incredulity  and  stringent 
cross-examination.  Bang  went  Pegleg's  fist  on  the 
bell.  "  Send  for  Private  Paine,  Troop  '  A,'  "  said  he. 
"  Pm  bound  to  get  to  the  bottom  of  this  at  once." 
And  then  while  the  orderly  was  gone  he  began  pacing 


202  UNDER  FIRE. 

the  floor,  occasionally  stopping  to  drum  on  the  frost- 
covered  window.  Leonard  shifted  his  seat  to  Crans 
ton's  side  and  entered  into  low-toned  chat  with  him 
and  Davies,  though  neither  seemed  in  mood  to  talk. 
A  natural  question  that  had  risen  to  their  lips  was  why 
Leonard  seemed  to  think  that  Brannan  was  well 
known  to  Davies  before  his  enlistment,  and  this  ques 
tion  Leonard  had  disposed  of  by  saying  that  he  had 
been  assured  that  this  was  the  case,  and  that  he  would 
ask  his  informant's  permission  to  give  his  name.  It 
was  an  officer  and  a  friend  of  Davies,  and  the  statement 
was  made  in  all  apparent  good  faith.  Devers  sat 
nervously  in  a  chair  feigning  to  read  a  newspaper,  but 
every  now  and  then  furtively  watching  the  three. 
Presently  the  orderly  came  back.  Trooper  Paine 
wasn't  in  the  post :  he'd  gone  with  the  market  wagon 
to  town. 

"Captain  Devers/7  said  Pegleg,  irritably,  "you 
ought  to  have  known  this.  Why  didn't  you  say  he'd 
gone,  instead  of  keeping  us  waiting  here?" 

"  I  protest  against  the  imputation,  colonel,"  said 
Devers,  to  all  appearances  much  injured  at  such  in 
justice.  "The  wagon  rarely,  if  ever,  goes  to  town  on 
Monday,  and  that  Private  Paine  should  have  gone 
with  it  is  equally  fortuitous." 

"  Well,  just  as  soon  as  that  wagon  gets  back  I  wish 
to  examine  that  man,  and  I  wish  you,  gentlemen,  to  be 
present,  also  Doctor  Burroughs.  You  see  to  it,  Mr. 
Leonard." 

"  I'll  give  instructions  at  once,"  said  Leonard,  rising 
quickly,  and  then,  with  significant  glance  at  Cranston, 
taking  his  cap  and  quitting  the  office. 


UNDER    FIRE.  203 

"Then,  Colonel  Stone,"  said  Devers,  "I  must  ask, 
in  justice  to  myself,  that  one  or  two  officers,  who  are 
friends  of  mine,  may  be  present  at  the  inquisition.  I 
am  conscious  of  nothing  but  enemies  in  this  office,  and 
I  can  expect  no  fair  play." 

Stone  whirled  wrathfully  upon  him.  "Your  lan 
guage  is  insubordinate,  Captain  Devers,  and  there 
must  be  an  immediate  end  to  it.  If  you  have  enemies 
here,  they  are  of  your  own  making.  Bring  any  gentle 
man  who  will  consent  to  appear  with  you,  and,  mean 
time,  sir,  you  may  withdraw." 

"And  leave  the  field  in  possession  of  my  opponents, 
sir,  and,  like  Sir  Peter  Teazle,  my  character  in  their 
hands.  There  is  a  higher  court  than  a  post  com 
mander,"  said  Devers,  white  and  trembling  with  min 
gled  wrath  and  apprehension,  "  and  to  that  court  I 
shall  appeal." 

"You  shall  have  every  opportunity,  sir,"  answered 
the  colonel,  with  a  bang  upon  his  bell,  "and  leave  this 
office  in  arrest  if  I  hear  another  word. — Recall  Mr. 
Leonard,"  said  he  to  the  orderly,  who  sprang  in  with 
scared  face  as  Devers  went  mumbling  out,  "  Which  way 
did  he  go?" 

"To  the  cavalry  barks,  sir,"  answered  the  Irish 
soldier,  and  Devers  caught  the  reply  before  he  was 
fairly  out  of  the  hall.  He  turned  whiter  still,  for 
sudden  suspicion  flashed  upon  him.  He  halted  as 
though  more  than  half  disposed  to  again  address  his 
commander,  but  realized  that  already  he  had  gone  too 
far.  He  looked  again  across  the  white  level  of  the 
parade  and  saw  the  tall,  dark  figure  of  the  adjutant 
stalking  straight  to  the  door  of  his  own  troop  office, 


204  UNDER  FIRE. 

and  as  with  anxiously  throbbing  heart  lie  walked 
away  homewards,  Devers  watched  his  hated  persecutor, 
almost  divining  what  was  his  purpose, — what  would 
be  his  first  question.  He  saw  him  halt  and  the  office- 
door  open  and  Sergeant  Haney  come  forth.  Haney, 
who  could  be  flippant  and  independent  in  the  presence 
of  his  own  lieutenants,  stood  like  a  statue  before  that 
dark,  saturnine  face.  Officer  or  man,  no  soldier  in 
that  garrison  ever  took  a  liberty  with  Leonard. 
Devers  realized  that  he  had  made  a  fatal  error  at  last. 
He  almost  realized — almost  divined  the  very  words  of 
that  brief,  curt  interview. 

"  Sergeant  Haney,  you  must  have  known  Trooper 
Paine  would  be  needed  at  the  office  this  morning. 
How,  then,  did  you  select  him  to  go  to  town?" 

And  Haney,  to  use  his  own  expression,  "  wilted." 

"  Them  was  the  captain's  orders,  sir." 

"  Captain  who  ?" 

"Captain  Devers,  sir." 

"That's  all." 

And  when  Sergeant  Haney  was  informed  ten  min 
utes  later  that  the  captain  wished  to  see  him  at  his 
quarters  at  once,  he  realized  that  there  were  breakers 
ahead  in  earnest,  and  went  with  his  heart  in  his  mouth. 
Later,  when  he  came  forth  after  full  confession  of  the 
adjutant's  question  and  his  own  compromising  reply, 
the  sergeant  proceeded  to  the  adjutant's  office,  asked  to 
see  that  gentleman,  well  known  throughout  the  old 
army  as  Black  Larry,  and  nervously  twitching  his  cap 
stood  uneasily  before  those  penetrating  eyes.  "I've 
come  to  make  a  correction,  sir.  I  misunderstood  the 
captain." 


UNDER  FIRE.  205 

"As  to  what?" 

"  As  to  Paine.  The  captain  told  me  he  might  be 
needed  this  morning.  Then  he  said  he  promised 
Paine  he  might  go  to  town  next  trip  of  the  market- 
wagon.  We  were  out  of  potatoes,  sir,  and  there  were 
fine  ones  in  market,  so  the  captain  said  we'd  better 
secure  some  without  delay.  I  took  it  he  meant  at 
once,  and  so  the  wagon  went  this  morning  and  Paine 
went  along.  I  suppose  I  got  it  mixed,  sir,  but  I 
thought  the  captain  meant  Paine  should  go  to-day." 

"  Which  wasn't  at  all  what  the  captain  meant  you 
should  think,  eh?"  said  Leonard,  dryly. 

"No,  sir.  He  says  he  meant  to  nave  him  ready  to 
go  to  see  the  colonel." 

"  Exactly.  I  only  marvel  at  your  misunderstanding 
such  explicit  and  clear-cut  orders,"  said  Leonard,  with 
calm  sarcasm.  "  That  will  do,  sergeant,  so  far  as  you 
are  concerned."  And  Hauey  walked  away,  well  con 
tent  that  when  Paine  and  the  wagon  got  back  there 
would  be  something  more  for  "  the  ould  man"  to  ex 
plain,  or  stand  the  consequences. 

But  even  Haney  had  only  faint  conception  of  his 
captain's  squirming  powers.  Not  until  evening  stables 
was  the  wagon  back  from  Braska.  It  was  loaded  to 
the  guards  with  fine  Utah  potatoes  for  the  troop  mess, 
and  there  was  no  room  for  Trooper  Paine.  "  You're 
wanted  at  the  adjutant's  office  at  once,"  said  the  or 
derly  to  the  wagon-driver,  who  was  already  in  conver 
sation  with  Sergeant  Haney,  "  and  I'm  to  fetch  you 
with  me." 

"  The  man  can't  go  till  he's  put  up  his  team,  young 
fellow,"  said  Haney  to  the  infantry  bugler, 

18 


206  UNDER    FIRE. 

"  He  can  when  ould  Pegleg's  a-pullin',  Misther 
Sergeant  Haney,  and  he's  not  to  go  anywhere  else  or 
talk  with  any  one  else  furst  off  ayther,"  was  the  sig 
nificant  answer, — another  unpleasant  item  to  impart 
to  his  now  wretchedly  uneasy  captain  ;  and  verily  it 
seemed  to  Haney  that  the  halcyon  days  were  done  for 
good  and  all,  when  soon  after  dusk  a  little  squad  from 
Cranston's  troop,  with  Second  Lieutenant  Sanders  in 
command,  rode  briskly  away  on  the  Braska  road,  and 
it  was  speedily  whispered  about  the  garrison  that  they 
were  going  to  find  Paine,  drunk  or  sober,  dead  or  alive, 
and  fetch  him  back  to  the  post  forthwith. 

"  It  takes  a  heap  of  nagging  to  get  old  Pegleg  fully 
worked  up,"  said  the  fellows  of  the  Fortieth  that  night, 
a  propos  of  the  snub  given  Devers,  and  the  pursuit  by 
members  of  another  troop  of  material  witnesses,  "  but 
when  he  locks  horns  in  dead  earnest,  the  other  party's 
got  to  scratch  gravel ;  it's  business  and  no  quarter." 

Meantime,  acting  under  the  advice  of  Captain  Cran 
ston,  Davies  had  refrained  from  making  any  complaint 
of  the  language  which  Devers  had  seen  fit  to  use  at  his 
expense.  "Leonard  says  that  some  other  matters 
should  come  up  first,  and  Leonard  knows.  The  colonel 
is  after  Devers  with  a  sharp  stick  now,  and  all  these 
charges  are  to  be  sprung  upon  him  presently.  You 
go  on  getting  your  quarters  ready  for  Wednesday's 
house-warming.  By  that  time  you'll  be  wanted  on  the 
witness-stand.  To-morrow,  Tuesday,  there'll  be  fun  at 
the  commanding  officer's  office  with  a  general  court- 
martial  looming  up  behind  it.  Meantime,  hold  your 
peace." 

This  was  Monday  evening,  and  when  he  returned, 


UNDER   FIRE.  207 

meditating,  to  his  temporary  fireside,  he  found  Mini 
surrounded  by  a  swarm  of  post  callers,  smiling  and 
chatting,  gracious  and  gay.  He  was  in  no  mood  for 
chatter  himself,  but  had  to  sit  by  and  strive  to  be 
interested  and  sociable.  Most  of  their  visitors  had 
heard  the  story  of  Captain  Devers's  close  call  at  the 
office  that  morning,  and  not  a  few  sought  to  hear  the 
facts  of  the  case  from  the  lips  of  an  eye-witness.  But 
Davies  would  not  speak  of  the  matter  at  all,  and,  find 
ing  him  intractable,  some  one  asked  if  Sanders  had 
returned,  and  what  success  had  attended  his  search 
for  the  missing.  It  was  nearly  time  for  tattoo.  Dr. 
Burroughs  was  among  the  callers,  and  had  just  come 
over  from  the  hospital.  lie  had  had  no  addition  to 
the  list  of  patients.  "On  the  contrary,"  said  he,  "I 
have  a  man  who  might  go  to  duty  to-night  were  there 
need,  and  that  is  Miss  Loomis's  patient,  Brannan." 

"  Oh,  do  tell  us  about  that,  Mr.  Davies,"  appealed 
Mrs.  Flight,  who  was  again  on  hand,  well  knowing 
that  next  to  the  colonel's,  where  she  was  jiot  entirely  in 
the  good  graces  of  the  lady  of  the  house,  garrison  society 
would  be  most  apt  to  be  found  in  force  doing  homage 
to  the  bride.  "  We've  heard  ail  manner  of  conjectures 
already,  and  arc  so  eager  to  know  the  truth.  Was  he 
an  old  friend  of  her's,  and  did  he  send  and  beg  her  to 
come  to  him  ?" 

"  No,"  said  Davies,  promptly,  "  she  got  to  the  hos 
pital  by  merest  accident.  Louis  Cranston's  throat  wras 
sore,  and  he  was  coughing  a  great  deal.  She  went  for 
medicine,  and  I  happened  to  meet  her  on  the  way." 

"  But  they  said  there  was  such  a  romantic  scene ;  he 
wept  and  clung  to  her  hand,  and " 


208  UNDER   FIRE. 

Here  Burroughs  opportunely  and  somewhat  aggres 
sively  burst  into  a  guffaw  of  derisive  laughter.  "  Miss 
Loomis  is  just  one  of  those  admirable  women,"  said  he, 
"  that  empty-headed  idiots  prate  about.  I  wish  other 
people  had  half  her  sense."  A  luckless  way  of  essay 
ing  the  defence  of  the  absent,  for  it  reflected  on  many 
a  woman  present. 

"  Fie !  Dr.  Burroughs,"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Flight. 
"  Your  blushes  give  you  away,  even  more  than  your 
words.  Don't  you  be  falling  in  love  with  Miss  Loomis. 
She's  aiming  higher  than  one  room  and  a  kitchen  and  a 
thousand  a  year."  Whereupon  there  was  shrill  laughter, 
and  further  accusation  and  indignant  protest  from  the 
ill-starred  medico.  And  Davies,  who  ought  to  have 
rejoiced  in  the  loyalty  of  such  admiration  for  his  friend 
and  whilom  nurse,  was  conscious  of  a  pang  of  annoy 
ance  and  aversion.  The  entrance  of  the  old  chaplain 
and  his  wife,  and  dark,  swarthy  Leonard  with  the 
handsome  partner  of  his  joys  and  sorrows,  gave  instant 
turn  to  the  conversation.  In  a  very  few  minutes  Mrs. 
Flight  and  two  younger  matrons  took  their  departure, 
Almira  following  them  with  rustic  regretfulncss,  and 
exchanging  some  whispered  confidences  at  the  door, 
which  brought  new  flush  to  Davies's  anxious  face.  Mrs. 
Leonard  was  speaking  of  a  recent  visit  "  up  the  road," 
as  in  those  days  the  Union  Pacific  in  its  westward  climb 
to  the  Rockies  was  referred  to.  She  had  had  such  a 
lovely  visit  to  Fort  Russell,  and  had  so  much  to  tell 
about  affairs  in  that  particularly  swell  regiment,  the 
— th,  and  the  Truscotts  had  entertained  her  at  such  a 
pretty  dinner ;  Mrs.  Truscott  was  charming,  and  Mrs. 
Stannard  was  such  a  noble  woman,  and  they  were  all  so 


UNDER   FIRE.  209 

interested  in  Mr.  Ray's  engagement.  It  was  practically 
announced.  He  was  to  be  married  to  Miss  Sanford 
— an  heiress  and  a  great  catch — early  in  June,  and  this 
led  to  the  chaplain  speaking  of  Ray,  whom  in  days 
gone  by  he  was  prone  to  look  upon  with  little  favor,  if 
not  indeed  as  a  ne'er-do-well.  "  I  always  feared  that 
he  would  fall,  and  I  am  so  rejoiced  in  this  new  phase 
to  his  character." 

"  Oh,  I  met  Mr.  Ray  !"  exclaimed  Almira,  delight 
edly.  "He  was  ordered  in  to  General  Sheridan  on 
some  duty  late  in  the  summer,  and  some  of  the  young 
officers,  Percy's  classmates,  said  he  was  such  a  brave 
fellow." 

"  What  did  the  old  officers  say  ?"  asked  Leonard, 
with  a  twinkle  in  his  black  eyes,  but  not  the  vestige  of 
a  grin  under  his  heavy  moustache. 

u  They  ?  Oh,  I  don't  remember  their  saying  any 
thing  about  him.  They  said  lots  of  lovely  things  about 
Percy." 

"  Yes.  That's  right.  I  can  understand  their  omit 
ting  no  opportunity  of  doing  that.  One  learns  to  be 
something  of  a  courtier  even  in  Chicago,  when  on  staff 
duty,  and  as  for  Washington,  service  there  is  a  liberal 
education  in  diplomacy.  One  never  knows  who  may 
have  the  strongest  pull  with  the  President  in  the  event 
of  a  vacancy  in  the  staff  corps." 

"  Leonard,"  said  the  chaplain,  gravely,  "you're  a 
born  cynic  and  a  pessimist  to  boot.  Have  we  no  gen 
erous  impulses  in  the  army  ?" 

"  Lots  of  'em.  Lots  of  'em,  chaplain,  especially  in 
the  line  and  on  the  frontier,  where  we  can  afford  to  pat 
a  fellow  on  the  back,  since  we  know  that's  about  the 
o  18* 


210  UNDER  FIRE. 

extent  of  the  reward  he'll  ever  get.  It's  when  we're  in 
big  society  in  the  East,  above  all  in  Washington,  one 
has  to  be  guarded  in  what  he  'says,  or  first  thing  he 
knows  he'll  be  hoisting  some  fellow  over  his  own  head 
in  a  moment  of  enthusiasm.  No.  I  know  just  how 
you  regard  me,  but  I  spent  six  weeks  of  a  three  months' 
leave  in  Washington  last  winter,  and  sat  night  after 
night  at  the  club,  or  day  after  day  among  the  army 
crowd  at  the  Ebbitt,  or  in  some  fellow's  den  at  the 
Department,  and  never  once  did  I  hear  one  word  of 
frank,  outspoken,  fearless  praise  of  some  other  fellow's 
work  or  deeds,  unless  it  were  to  his  face.  Ask  a  man 
flat-footed  if  that  wasn't  a  capital  scout  of  Striker's 
last  winter  in  the  Tonto  Basin,  or  if  Jake  Randlett 
hadn't  done  a  daring  thing  in  going  all  alone  through 
the  Sioux  country  to  drum  up  Crow  scouts  for  Crook's 
command,  or  what  he  thought  of  Billy  Ray's  cutting 
his  way  out  through  the  Cheyennes  to  bring  help  to 
Wayne  last  June,  and  ten  to  one  he'll  hum  and  haw 
and  say  yes,  he  did  hear  something  about  that,  and  now 
that  I  mentioned  it  he  believed  Striker  or  Jake  or  Billy 
had  really  behaved  quite  creditably,  but  the  whole  tone 
was  significant  of ( nothing  like  what  some  other  fellow 
I  might  mention,  modesty  only  forbidding,  would  have 
done  under  similar  circumstances.'  It's  just  the 
damnation  of  faint  praise,  The  trouble  with  the  whole 
gang  of  those  fellows  seems  to  be  a  mortal  dread  lest 
somebody's  eyes  should  be  deflected  from  the  valor 
of  the  warriors  at  Washington  to  that  of  the  warriors 
on  the  plains.  What  recognition  do  you  suppose  Ray 
will  ever  get  for  that  feat?  General  Crook  says  it's 
useless  to  recommend  him  for  brevet,  because  the  Senate 


f'XDER  FIRE.  211 

wouldn't  confirm  it,  and  the  reason  they  won't  is  that 
those  hangers-on  about  the  capital  don't  mean  to  let 
such  rewards  be  given  to  the  men  on  the  frontier.  And 
yet  this  sort  of  thing  doesn't  happen  only  in  Washing 
ton.  It  was  a  cavalry  officer  who  said  of  that  very 
affair  that  Ray  was  simply  a  reckless  fellow  under  a 
cloud,  with  everything  to  gain  and  nothing  to  lose, 
and  that  doing  a  reckless  thing  was  just  as  much  a 
matter  of  instinct  with  him  as  battle  is  to  a  bull 
dog." 

It  was  unusual  to  see  Leonard  warm  up  in  this  way. 
Besides  the  chaplain  and  the  silent  host,  there  were 
three  officers  in  the  dreary  little  bachelor  den  at  the 
moment.  Each  and  every  one  seemed  surprised  at 
the  adjutant's  outbreak,  but  not  one  of  them  at  the 
concluding  revelation. 

"  No  need  to  ask  who  that  was,"  said  Captain  Hay, 
with  a  prefatory  "Humph."  "It  savors  of  Devers 
from  first  to  last.  That  man  is  a  born  iconoclast. 
He  pulls  down  everybody's  idols  and  sneers  at  what 
he  cannot  pull  down, — our  ideals." 

"  Well,  now  let  me  ask  you,"  said  the  chaplain,  a 
man  whose  broad  charity  led  him  at  any  and  all  times 
to  the  defence  of  the  absent.  "  Without  detracting  in 
the  faintest  degree  from  the  heroism  and  value  of  Mr. 
Ray's  exploit,  are  there  not  degrees  of  personal  bravery, 
are  there  not  possibilities  of  an  order  of  courage  higher 
even  than  his?  As  I  recall  him,  he  was  what  I  should 
term  a  fearless  man,  brave  to  a  fault ;  but  have  we  not 
in  the  army  tens  and  perhaps  hundreds  of  honorable 
gentlemen  who  are  as  keenly  susceptible  to  the  thrill 
of  danger  as  Ray  is  apparently  dead  to  it?  Have  I 


212  UNDER  FIRE. 

not  heard  man  after  man  say  how  his  own  knees  trem 
bled  or  his  comrade's  cheek  blanched  at  the  whistle  of 
the  first  bullets  of  the  battle  ?  And  as  for  this  Indian 
campaigning,  can  there  be  a  warfare  imagined  in 
which  the  percentage  of  peril  is  so  great,  the  possi 
bilities  of  ambush,  surprise,  sudden  death  in  the  midst 
of  fancied  security  so  constant,  the  daily  and  nightly 
circumstances  so  full  of  incessant  nervous  strain  ? 
Now,  who  is  the  better  soldier, — the  really  braver,  or, 
perhaps  better,  the  more  courageous  man, — he  who  rides 
the  trail  utterly  reckless  of  or  insensible  to  its  peril,  or 
he  who,  sighting  danger  in  every  bush,  scenting  death 
on  every  breeze,  looking  every  instant  for  the  war- 
whoop,  the  death-wound,  nevertheless  so  bears  himself 
with  all  his  faculties  in  hand  as  to  seem  calm,  serene, 
confident,  and  stands  ready  for  death  or  duty  at  any 
moment?  I  have  always  held  that  the  Christian  gen 
tleman  was  the  highest  type  of  the  highest  order  of 
courage;  the  man  who  replaced  the  fatalism  of  the 
Mahometan  with  the  sustaining  faith  of  the  soldier 
of  the  Cross.  But  I  see  you  think  I'm  in  the  pulpit 
and  preaching  again,"  said  he,  smiling  at  Leonard. 
"  We  both  warmed  up  to  our  hobby." 

They  were  silent  a  moment.  Across  the  wintry 
night  the  trumpets  were  singing  the  lullaby  of  the 
crowded  garrison,  and  hurrying  footsteps  told  of  be 
lated  subalterns  speeding  to  their  companies  to  super 
vise  the  roll-calls.  Leonard  rose  to  his  full  height  and 
threw  his  cloak  over  his  broad  shoulders. 

"  We  are  more  in  accord  in  this  matter  than  you 
think,  perhaps,  chaplain ;  only  the  man  doesn't  live 
who  could  be  insensible  to  the  danger  of  cutting  his 


UNDER  FIRE.  21 3 

way  through  a  band  of  encircling  Cheyennes.  I've 
heard  of  no  braver  deed  in  many  a  year  than  Ray's. 
I  doubt  if  we'll  hear  of  truer  grit  or  courage  in  many 
more." 

"  Perhaps  not,  Leonard, "  said  the  chaplain,  as  the 
adjutant  paused  an  instant  at  the  threshold  to  say  he 
would  return  the  moment  he  had  received  the  reports. 
"  Perhaps  not,  nor  would  I  say  one  word  to  underrate 
the  heroism  of  Ray's  exploit ;  but  when  we  do  hear  of 
another  I  look  to  hear  of  it  in  some  fellow  as  firm  in 
his  faith  as  he  is  in  his  sense  of  honor  and  duty,  and 
some  day  we  shall  see." 

But  Leonard  did  not  return  in  five  minutes  nor  in  ten, 
and  Mrs.  Leonard  grew  anxious.  "  This  never  hap 
pens  unless  something  unusual  has  occurred."  Captain 
Hay  stepped  through  the  hall  and  opened  the  outer 
door. 

"  There  are  lights  dancing  about  over  there  on  the 
parade  near  l  A'  Troop's  quarters.  I  wonder  what's 
up.  Hullo,  Sanders !  That  you  ?  When  did  you 
get  back  ?  Did  you  get  your  man  ?" 

"  Got  two  of  'em/'  was  the  breezy  answer.  "  T'other 
one  disguised  as  a  gentleman  in  cits  and  just  about 
starting  on  the  night  train  for  the  West, — the  gifted 
Mr.  Howard,  clerk  of  '  A'  Troop." 

Mrs.  Davies  was  standing  just  within  the  parlor 
door  at  the  moment,  blushing  over  the  praises  lavished 
on  her  by  the  chaplain's  impulsive  helpmeet  and  trying 
hard  to  say  civil  and  appropriate  things  to  her  guests. 
The  officers,  one  and  all,  had  edged  into  the  hall-way 
in  eagerness  to  hear  the  news. 

"What   was   it   Mr.  Sanders   said?"   asked    Mrs. 


214  UNDER  FIRE 

Leonard,  anxious  to  know  what  detained  her  husband. 
Hay  half  turned. 

"  He  says  they  arrested  two  men,  one  of  them  ap 
parently  deserting,  being  in  civilian  dress  and  aboard 
the  train, — Captain  Devers's  new  clerk,  Howard." 

And  then  every  one  in  the  parlor  saw  that  Mrs. 
Da  vies  was  seized  as  with  sudden  faintness.  She 
turned  very  white  and  grasped  at  the  nearest  chair  for 
support.  "  I'm  only  dizzy,  not  ill,  or  I  don't  know  what 
it  is,"  she  protested,  as  they  crowded  round  her,  and 
Davies  came  quickly  in,  conscious  that  something  was 
amiss.  Nor  did  she  recover  her  color  or  her  calm. 
Nervous,  fluttering  answers  only  could  she  give  to 
their  sympathetic  inquiries,  and  when  presently  Leonard 
reappeared,  cool  and  imperturbable  as  ever,  she  was 
evidently  relieved  to  see  her  guests  departing.  The 
adjutant  explained  his  detention  by  saying  he  had 
gone  to  the  colonel's  with  Sanders,  who  had  galloped 
ahead,  leaving  his  guard  to  bring  along  the  prisoners 
in  an  ambulance,  Paine  too  drunk  to  be  able  to  move. 
They  would  hardly  arrive  before  eleven. 

"  The  colonel  desires  to  see  you  at  the  office  at  eight 
o'clock  in  the  morning,"  said  he  in  low  tone  to  Crans 
ton.  "  Howard  has  been  away  all  day, — since  guard- 
mounting,  in  fact, — and  no  report  was  made  of  it. 
Devers  has  been  notified  that  the  colonel  would  in 
vestigate  matters — the  whole  business,  in  fact — early 
to-morrow." 

But  who  can  tell  what  a  day  may  bring  forth? 
Devers,  after  a  sleepless  night,  filled  with  foreboding 
of  the  wrath  to  come  as  the  result  of  that  impending 
investigation,  sat  nervously  over  his  coffee  while  the 


UNDER  FIRE.  215 

trumpets  were  sounding  first  call  for  guard-mounting, 
and  turned  a  shade  yellower  at  the  ring  of  the  front 
door  bell.  The  servant  re-entered  the  dining-room 
and  announced  that  Lieutenant  Leonard,  the  adjutant, 
desired  to  speak  to  the  captain.  For  a  moment  he 
could  not  rise.  Conscious  of  his  own  double-deal 
ing,  visions  of  arrest,  charges,  court-martial — heaven 
knows  what  all — were  floating  before  his  startled  eyes, 
but  go  he  had  to.  Summoning  courage,  bravado,  or 
something,  he  swaggered  into  the  hall. 

"  Oh — ah — step  into  the  parlor,  Mr.  Leonard/'  said 
he,  airily,  "  I  presume  you're  here  on  business."  He 
was  preparing  to  exhibit  amaze — virtuous  and  soldierly 
indignation — at  the  idea  of  having,  all  unheard  and 
unrepresented,  been  ordered  into  arrest  on  the  prej 
udiced  statement  of  a  swarm  of  hostile  officers  and 
sorely  badgered  and  bullied  members  of  his  troop. 
Well  knowing  himself  to  be  tottering  on  the  ragged 
edge  of  final  discovery,  his  duplicity  exposed,  his 
deceit  established,  he  nevertheless  braced  himself  for 
the  supreme  effort  to  bluff  to  the  very  last.  Thanks 
to  the  storm-shed  without,  the  hall  was  dark,  and  for  a 
moment  he  could  only  vaguely  see  the  huge  bulk  of 
the  infantryman  standing  erect  before  him,  the  very 
attitude  indicative  of  stern  official  purpose. 

And  then  in  sudden  revulsion  of  feeling, — in  a  wild 
whirl  of  reviving  hope,  courage,  exultation, — he  noticed 
that  the  adjutant  was  without  his  sword,  and  listened, 
spell-bound,  well-nigh  incredulous  and  without  reply, 
to  the  brief  official  words  which  Mr.  Leonard  de 
livered,  then  saluting,  turned  on  his  heel  and  left  the 
house. 


216  UNDER  FIRE. 

"  It  is  my  duty  to  announce,  sir,  that  Colonel  Stone 
lias  had  a  stroke  of  apoplexy  or  vertigo  and  is  seriously 
ill.  As  senior  captain,  you  are  in  command  of  the 
post." 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

THAT  beautiful  wintry  Tuesday  morning  was  as 
placid  and  serene  as  nature  could  make  it,  but  Fort 
Scott  was  in  a  ferment.  Whether  stricken  by  apoplexy, 
which  was  the  first/  or  vertigo,  which  was  the  later, 
theory,  Colonel  Peleg  Stoue  had  been  found  lying 
bleeding  and  unconscious  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  and 
almost  at  his  parlor  door,  just  after  sick-call.  He  had 
arisen  early,  said  his  tearful  and  terrified  wife,  saying 
that  matters  of  importance  demanded  his  presence  at 
the  office  before  guard -mounting.  He  had  been  wake 
ful  and  restless  during  the  night.  He  had  called  for 
hot  water  soon  after  reveille,  and  gone  into  his  dressing- 
room  to  shave.  This  was  all  she  knew  until  aroused 
an  hour  later  by  her  frightened  maid,  with  the  tidings 
that  the  colonel  was  tying  speechless  in  the  hall.  Both 
doctors  and  Mr.  Leonard  were  summoned.  Violence 
was  hinted  at,  but  the  orderly  pacing  the  front  piazza 
declared  that  no  one  had  entered  the  front  door  since 
he  came  over  and  rang  the  bell  to  report  himself  for 
duty  just  as  soon  as  he  had  finished  breakfast.  "  For 
them  was  the  colonel's  orders  when  he  dismissed  me 
last  night."  Just  about  sick-call  he  heard  the  sound  of 
a  heavy  fall  inside,  and  presently  "  Jane  come  a-run- 


UNDER  FIRE.  217 

11  in'/'  and  told  him  to  rush  for  the  doctors.  Alonzo, 
the  colonel's  colored  body-servant  who  had  followed 
his  fortunes  a  dozen  years,  was  in  the  kitchen  below 
stairs,  and  was  sure  no  one  had  come  in  from  the  rear. 
He,  too,  had  heard  the  fall  and  ran  up  with  Jane,  find 
ing  his  master  completely  dressed,  lying  close  to  the 
parlor  door,  with  blood  streaming  from  his  nose  and 
mouth.  There  were  heavy  contusions  on  the  fore 
head  and  face,  caused  probably  by  his  having  plunged 
blindly  forward  down  the  stairs.  Something  in  the 
stertorous  breathing  suggested  apoplexy,  but  the  doctors 
soon  decided  against  that.  It  might  have  been  vertigo, 
or  he  might  simply  have  tripped  at  the  top  and  come 
diving  head-foremost  all  the  way  down,  but  his  clothing 
was  not  in  such  disorder  as  that  would  cause,  and 
neither  the  orderly,  nor  Jane,  nor  Alonzo  had  heard 
more  than  one  single  crash  or  thud.  Had  they  ex 
amined  the  parlor  and  sitting-room  to  see  if  any  one 
could  have  been  there  hidden  ?  was  asked.  No,  there 
wasn't  time.  The  house  was  one  of  the  big  double 
sets  of  quarters,  with  hall-way  and  staircase  in  the 
middle,  as  frequently  planned  in  those  days  for  the 
commanding  officer  of  the  large  frontier  garrisons. 
Four  large  rooms  were  on  the  ground  floor  for  use  as 
parlor,  sitting-,  and  reception-  and  dining-room,  all 
abundantly  furnished,  as  Mrs.  Stone  was  well-to-do, 
and  there  were  hiding-places  enough  if  some  one  had 
stolen  in,  like  a  thief  in  the  night.  The  broad  con 
tusion  on  the  forehead  might  have  been  caused  by  some 
blunt  instrument,  to  be  sure,  said  the  senior  surgeon, 
but  he  thought  it  improbable.  Only  one  thing  was 
certain, — Pegleg  was  knocked  out.  It  might  be  several 
K  19 


218  UNDER   FIRE. 

days,  possibly  a  week,  before  he  could  resume  duty. 
Captain  Devers  came  over  five  minutes  after  the  adju 
tant  left  him,  and  was  profuse  in  sympathy,  sorrow, 
and  proffers  of  aid.  The  despatch  sent  to  Department 
head-quarters  that  afternoon  was  a  model  of  style,  but 
it  did  not  reach  the  office  until  late  in  the  afternoon,  so 
late  that  the  general  had  gone  home  with  his  chief  of 
staff,  and  not  until  five  o'clock  was  it  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  latter,  who  took  it  at  once  to  his  com 
mander. 

"  Whew  !"  said  the  chief.  "  It's  bad  enough  to  have 
Pegleg  down,  but  think  of  having  Devers  up,  even 
for  a  week." 

"  I  don't  see  what  we  can  do,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 
"The  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Fortieth  is  on  leave 
awaiting  retirement,  the  major  on  General  Sheridan's 
staff.  Major  Warren,  of  the  Eleventh,  is  abroad,  and 
Devers  is  the  ranking  captain." 

"  Well,  let  it  stand,"  said  the  general,  after  a  while. 
"  Leonard  will  look  after  affairs  in  the  Fortieth,  and 
you  look  after  Devers.  If  he  gets  to  cutting  up  any 
didoes,  send  him  up  to  the  reservation  to  investigate 
the  trouble  up  there;  it's  something  after  his  own 
heart,  I  reckon, — or  send  him  anywhere,  and  let  the 
command  devolve  on  the  next  captain  until  Stone's 
on  deck  again.  Devers  says  he'll  be  up  in  a  week." 

"  That's  just  what  makes  me  fear  he  won't  be  well  in 
a  month,  and  if  he  isn't  able  to  resume  duty,  Devers 
will  say  he  only  meant  Kitting  up  in  bed,  probably." 

No  matter  what  the  opinion  attaching  to  Captain 
Devers,  however,  the  fact  remained  that  he  was  now  in 
law  and  fact  commanding  officer  of  the  biggest  post 


UNDER   FIRE.  219 

in  the  Platte  Valley,  and  meant  to  make  the  most  of 
his  opportunities.  Leonard  promptly  asked  to  be  re 
lieved  from  duty  as  post-adjutant,  on  the  plausible 
ground  that  Captain  Devers  would  doubtless  prefer  to 
have  one  of  his  own  cloth  and  corps  in  the  office,  and 
Devers,  well  knowing  how  it  would  reflect  upon  him 
at  Department  head-quarters,  refused  to  change.  "  How 
ever  strained  may  be  our  personal  relations,  the  good 
of  the  service  demands  that  for  the  present  they  be 
ignored.  The  differences  between  us  can  and  shall  be 
adjusted  later  on/7  was  the  purport  of  his  reply.  Mean 
time  Mr.  Leonard  could  be  assured  that  he  should  in  no 
wise  be  disturbed  in  his  functions  as  regimental  adju 
tant,  or  hampered  no  more  than  was  necessary  in  those 
that  related  to  the  post.  Leonard  swore  impressively 
as  he  read  the  reply  to  his  friends,  Captain  Pollock  of 
the  Fortieth,  and  Cranston  of  the  Eleventh,  but  said 
nothing  to  any  one  else. 

Davies  was  to  relieve  Hastings  as  troop  duty  officer 
for  the  week,  and  assume  charge  of  roll-calls  and 
stables,  all  matters  between  himself  and  his  captain 
being  incontinently  shelved  after  conference  with  Cran 
ston,  Truman,  and  Hay,  until  such  time  as  somebody 
beside  Devers  should  sit  in  judgment  on  Devers's  acts. 
The  temporary  post-commander  spent  very  little  of 
Tuesday  morning  in  the  office.  With  official  gravity 
he  signed  the  ration  returns  and  such  papers  as  were 
to  be  forwarded.  "  All  matters  concerning  the  interior 
discipline  of  the  companies  I  prefer  leaving  to  their 
proper  commanders,"  said  he,  coldly,  to  the  statuesque 
adjutant,  thereby  hitting  a  self-comforting  whack  at 
the  colonel,  who  rather  liked  to  interfere.  "I  have 


220  UNDER  FIRE. 

every  confidence  in  the  judgment  of  the  captains  of  the 
infantry,  at  least,  and  as  for  routine  matters  you  will 
be  pleased  to  conduct  them  just  as  when  Colonel  Stone 
was  on  duty." 

Then  he  went  forth  to  his  own  sanctum,  the  troop 
office,  raising  his  fur  cap  in  acknowledgment  of  the 
sentry's  shrill,  "  Turn  out  the  guard ;  commanding 
officer !"  and  once  there  established,  he  sent  his  orderly 
with  directions  to  the  sergeant  of  the  guard.  In  five 
minutes  prisoner  Howard,  conducted  by  an  armed 
sentry,  made  his  appearance,  and  was  received  within 
the  sanctum.  "  You  may  retire,  sentry,  until  called. 
I'll  be  responsible  for  this  man/'  said  he,  and  from 
that  conference  even  Sergeant  Haney  was  excluded. 
The  interview  lasted  twenty  minutes,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  Howard  was  remanded  to  the  guard-house 
and  Paine  brought  over  in  his  place.  Howard  swag 
gered  insolently  past  the  sergeant  of  the  guard  on  his 
return,  and  when  told  to  get  ready  to  go  out  to  work, 
replied,  "  I  guess  not,  Johnny,  unless  you  want  to  lose 
your  stripes."  But  Paine  came  "home"  scared  and 
abject.  Men  in  quarters  said  that  both  the  captain  and 
Sergeant  Haney  stormed  at  him  until  he  didn't  know 
black  from  white,  and  the  temporary  company  clerk, 
excluded  from  the  office  during  the  conference,  was 
called  in  finally  to  witness  Paine's  signature  to  a  paper, 
the  contents  of  which  he  did  not  see  at  all. 

All  day  Tuesday  Davies  was  occupied  in  getting  his 
furniture  and  traps  into  Number  12,  and  Almira — 
pretty  as  a  picture,  and  eagerly  assisted  by  her  now 
intimate  friends,  Mesdames  Flight  and  Darling — was 
tacking  up  curtains,  brackets,  and  knickknacks.  Army 


UNDER   FIRE.  221 

women  have  a  gift  of  making  even  a  burrow  look 
cheery  and  attractive,  though  they  do  accumulate  an 
amount  of  truck  that  becomes  embarrassing  in  the  in 
evitable  event  of  a  move.  On  Wednesday,  however, 
as  has  been  said,  his  week  of  troop  duty  was  to  begin, 
and  at  gun-fire  he  was  up  and  dressed  and  ready  for 
business.  Devers  did  not  come  down  to  stables.  The 
first  sergeant  made  the  various  reports  in  somewhat  off 
hand  and  perfunctory  style,  but  Davies  took,  appar 
ently,  no  notice  of  his  manner,  and,  joining  Captain 
Cranston  as  soon  as  he  had  inspected  the  stables  on  the 
return  of  the  horses  to  their  stalls,  the  two  friends 
strolled  slowly  up  the  winding  road  to  the  parade,  the 
last  officers  to  return  homeward.  Sick-call  was  sounding 
as  they  passed  the  barracks,  and  Captain  Devers  met 
them  on  the  walk.  Both  officers  saluted  the  post-com 
mander,  Davies  in  silence,  Cranston  with  an  accom 
panying  "  Good-morning,  sir."  Devers  responded 
in  the  briefest  possible  way  and  went  at  once  to 
business. 

"  Mr.  Davies,  that  man  Brannau  will  be  returned  to 
the  troop  from  hospital  this  morning'.  See  that  he  is 
immediately  confined  in  the  guard-house."  And  then, 
with  his  orderly  following,  the  commander  went  his 
way.  Sergeant  Haney  was  standing  not  forty  yards 
away  on  the  barrack-porch  awaiting  his  captain's 
coming.  Such  instructions  were  generally  given  by  the 
company  commander  direct  to  the  first  sergeant,  and 
the  purpose  of  making  Davies  the  medium  and  Cran 
ston  the  witness  of  the  order  was  apparent  at  a  glance. 
Devers  meant  to  inflict  his  punishment  not  only  upon 
the  soldier,  but  upon  those  who  dared  either  in  person 

19* 


222  UNDER  FIRE. 

or  through  some  "  member  of  the  household"  appear  as 
the  soldier's  friend. 

"  What  should  I  do,  captain?"  asked  Davies,  sadly. 
"Turn  and  carry  the  order  to  the  first  sergeant  at 
once?" 

Cranston  looked  back,  saw  Devers  halt  to  say  some 
words  to  the  troop  farrier,  and  seized  the  oppor 
tunity. 

"  Yes,  and  I  will  go  with  you  to  be  ready  to  testify 
to  your  having  obeyed." 

Retracing  their  steps,  the  two  approached  the  quar 
ters.  "  Go  no  farther,"  said  Cranston,  in  low  tone,  as 
they  got  about  half-way  and  were  close  to  where 
Devers  stood.  "  Call  the  sergeant  to  you  here."  Davies 
did  so,  and  Devers  whirled  around  in  surprise.  Haney 
came  promptly,  buttoning  his  overcoat  on  the  way.  It 
wouldn't  do  to  "  slouch"  in  presence  of  Cranston,  what 
soever  he  might  dare  with  a  new  lieutenant. 

"  Sergeant,"  said  Davies,  "  the  captain  orders  that 
Trooper  Brannan  be  confined  in  the  guard-house  the 
moment  he  returns  from  hospital." 

"Yes,  sir.  I  got  the  order,  sir,  last  night,"  said 
Haney,  forgetful  in  Cranston's  presence  of  the  impulse 
to  be  flippant,  and  unconsciously  revealing  just  exactly 
what  his  captain  meant  to  conceal.  Davies  turned  and 
looked  at  Cranston,  and  the  latter,  witli  a  peculiar 
smile,  linked  his  arm  in  that  of  his  friend  and,  care 
fully  avoiding  the  spot  where  Devers  now  stood  watch 
ing  them,  led  him  away. 

This  for  a  starter  was  significant,  but  more  was  to 
come.  Guard  mounting  was  hurried  through  that 
morning,  for  the  air  was  sharply  cold  and  a  northerly 


UNDER   FIRE.  223 

wind  was  beginning  to  moan  through  the  garrison  and 
whirl  the  snow  in  drifts  over  the  desolate  prairie. 
Captains  Truman  and  Pollock,  the  former  as  old  and 
the  latter  as  new  officer  of  the  day,  appeared  in  fur 
caps  and  heavy  overcoats  and  stood  at  the  desk  where 
Colonel  Pegleg  for  months  past  had  administered  the 
affairs  of  the  post.  The  former  raised  his  hand  in 
salute  as  he  said,  "  I  report  as  old  officer  of  the 
day,  sir,"  and  tendered  the  guard  report.  Devers 
glanced  at  once  at  the  list  of  prisoners.  Foremost 
were  the  familiar  names  of  the  old  stagers,  the  general 
prisoners  undergoing  sentence  of  court-martial.  Then 
those  of  the  men  sentenced  to  brief  confinement  by  the 
minor  or  garrison  court.  Then  came  the  names  of 
those  awaiting  trial,  and  opposite  each  name  in  the 
column  headed  "  Charges'7  was  the  word  "  Preferred," 
as  was  the  custom  of  the  day,  and  this  significant  word 
appeared  opposite  the  next  to  the  last  name  on  the 
list,  that  of  Howard,  Troop  "  A." 

"  Ah !  What  is  the  nature  of  the  charges  against 
prisoner  Howard  ?"  asked  Devers,  blandly. 

<(  I  haven't  seen  them,  sir.  I  understand  that  they 
were  prepared  by  Lieutenant  Sanders  as  directed  by 
Colonel  Stone." 

Devers  tapped  his  bell  and  the  orderly  sprang  in. 
"  My  compliments  to  the  adjutant,"  said  he,  and  from 
the  adjoining  room,  grave,  stolid,  and  imperturbable  as 
ever,  Leonard  came  in,  pencil  in  hand,  and  stood  at 
attention  without  a  word. 

"Mr.  Leonard,  have  charges  been  preferred  against 
Trooper  Howard  ?" 

"Yes,    sir.      Desertion.     The   specification    alleges 


224  UNDER  FIRE. 

that  he  was  caught  aboard  the  west-bound  train  at 
Braska  in  civilian  dress  Monday  evening." 

"Anything  else?7' 

"  No,  sir." 

"  Captain  Pollock,  you  may  release  Howard.  He 
was  in  town  with  my  approbation  and  assent,  looking 
for  an  absentee  whose  haunts  he  knew  and  whose 
presence  was  required  here.  He  says  he  boarded  the 
train  expecting  possibly  to  find  him  thereon,  and  wore 
civilian  dress  because  his  uniform  might  have  caused 
his  rejection  at  places  he  wished  to  search." 

Captain  Pollock  touched  his  cap  without  a  word. 

"  You  will  also  see  that  Paine  and  Brannan,  recently 
confined,  are  sent  out  to  work  with  the  police  cart. 
Other  orders  as  usual.  You  are  relieved,  Captain 
Truman.  That  is  all,  Mr.  Leonard." 

The  talk  that  ensued  among  the  officers  of  the 
calvary  command  when  this  matter  was  detailed  at  the 
club  room  will  have  to  be  condensed.  Davies  was  not 
present.  He  never  went  there.  Cranston  was  present 
for  the  first  time  in  weeks,  for  it  was  an  establishment 
for  which  ordinarily  he  had  no  use.  He  and  Truman 
went  thither  because  they  knew  that  that  was  where 
Sanders  could  be  found,  and  there  they  found  him. 
It  was  barely  ten  o'clock,  but  this  light-hearted  young 
gentleman,  together  with  three  or  four  kindred  spirits 
of  the  Fortieth,  was  discussing,  to  the  accompaniment 
of  hot  Scotch,  the  relative  values  of  hands  dealt  at 
random  from  a  grimy  deck.  That  they  should  have 
taken  to  hot  Scotch  at  such  an  hour  they  explained  by 
the  statement  that  as  they  had  to  be  up  with  the  dawn 
the  day  was  already  old,  and  that  they  should  be  play- 


UNDER  FIRE.  225 

ing  poker  they  didn't  consider  a  matter  calling  for  ex 
planation  of  any  kind.  It  was  "away  they  had  in 
the  army"  in  those  days  when  the  other  three-quarters 
of  the  year  was  spent  in  sharp  campaigning.  Sanders 
cheerfully  dropped  his  hand  as  he  had  his  money  and 
told  his  story  like  a  little  man. 

"  We  trotted  or  galloped  all  the  way  to  town  and 
found  Paine  soon  after  six,  drunk,  of  course, — too 
drunk  to  ride  the  spare  horse,  so  while  we  were 
waiting  for  an  ambulance  from  the  quartermaster's 
depot,  I  ran  over  to  the  Cattle  Club  for  a  drink,  and 
was  chatting  there  with  Willett  and  Burtis, — by  the 
way,  I  asked  them  both  to  drive  out  and  dine  with  us 
to-night  and  take  in  the  hop  later, — and  presently  in 
came  a  couple  of  cattlemen  from  Cheyenne  who  knew 
everybody  at  Russell  and  were  jolly,  pleasant  fellows. 
They  were  going  up  on  the  evening  freight,  and  we 
loaded  up  a  lunch-basket  and  went  down  to  the  depot 
to  see  them  off  in  the  caboose.  The  Braska  crowd  did 
their  best  to  send  them  home  full,  and  they  were  full, 
and  nothing  would  do  but  we  must  go  into  the  bar 
and  drink  Roederer  with  them  until  the  conductor  came 
rushing  in  to  say  all  aboard.  Then  they  snaked  me 
on  to  the  caboose  platform  when  the  train  was  under 
way,  pulled  me  inside  and  ran  me  half  a  mile  up  the 
track  before  they  could  stop  her  again.  But  that  half- 
mile  did  the  business  for  Mr.  Howard.  There  he  was 
spruce  and  dandified  as  you  please,  dressed  fit  to  kill 
in  a  bang-up  better  suit  than  I  ever  hope  to  own,  try 
ing  to  sit  behind  a  newspaper.  They  pulled  Burtis 
aboard,  too,  and  in  the  scuffle  he  fell  all  over  Howard, 
knocked  his  hat  off,  and  I  knew  the  face  in  a  second, 
P 


226  UNDER  FIRE. 

and  when  I  came  off  that  car  he  came  with  me,  by  the 
scruff  of  his  neck,  swearing  and  protesting  and  deny 
ing  that  he  was  Howard,  and  threatening  to  have  the 
law  on  me  and  appealing  to  the  cattlemen  for  rescue. 
By  Jupiter,  if  it  wasn't  that  I  had  been  with  them 
long  enough  to  make  a  favorable  impression  they  would 
have  rescued  him,  too.  They  didn't  half  want  to  let 
him  go,  and  he  struggled  hard  to  get  away  as  it  was." 

Then  Truman  told  him  what  Devers's  orders  and 
remarks  were,  and  Sanders  fairly  blazed  with  wrath. 
"  It's  the  maddest  kind  of  a  lie,"  said  he.  l<  That  fellow 
had  never  looked  for  Paine  or  thought  of  such  a  thing. 
We  found  where  he  had  left  his  uniform  and  where  he 
kept  in  hiding  until  time  to  skip  out  and  catch  that 
train.  He  wasn't  looking  for  anybody  and  didn't  care 
to  see  or  be  seen  by  anybody.  If  it  wasn't  a  clear-cut 
case  of  desertion  may  I  be  hanged.  He  had  over  two 
hundred  dollars  in  his  clothes  and  fresh  duds  in  his 
grip-sack." 

Long  before  mid-day,  therefore,  Sanders's  words 
were  being  repeated  from  mouth  to  mouth,  and  Trooper 
Howard,  with  pale  face  and  starting  eyes,  was  shut  up 
in  the  company  office  where  only  the  captain  and  Ser 
geant  Haney  could  get  at  him,  and  Devers  was  there 
with  his  sergeant  and  clerk,  when  just  at  10.45  the 
telegraph  operator  came  bulging  into  Mr.  Leonard's 
office. 

"An  important  despatch/'  said  he,  "  for  the  com 
manding  officer." 

Leonard  took  it,  then  hesitated.  Under  Colonel 
Stone  his  instructions  were  to  open  and  read  at  once, 
but  the  relations  between  him  and  the  captain  tempo- 


UNDER   FIRE.  227 

rarily  in  command  were  neither  confidential  nor  cordial. 
"Take  it  to  Captain  Devers,"  said  he,  "and  I  will 
wait." 

Devers  read  the  despatch  with  kindling  eye.  It  was 
from  department  head-quarters  at  Omaha,  and  said 
briefly, — 

"  Send  a  discreet  officer  with  twenty  cavalrymen  for 
temporary  duty  with  Boynton  at  the  agency  at  once. 
Report  action  by  wire." 

For  a  few  minutes  the  captain  sat  in  deep  thought, 
then  with  head  erect,  and  with  quick,  confident  step, 
left  the  barracks  and  went  straight  to  the  adjutant's 
office.  "  Orderly,"  said  he,  "  my  compliments  to  Mr. 
Davies  and  say  I  wish  to  see  him  at  once." 

And  so  only  a  little  more  than  an  hour  later,  know 
ing  absolutely  nothing  of  what  might  be  going  on  at 
the  agency,  judging  only  from  the  reports  of  the  mail- 
carrier  that  there  had  been  trouble  between  the  agent 
and  some  of  Red  Dog's  people,  and  that  the  agent  had 
determined  to  make  arrests,  leaving  his  bride  wildly 
weeping  and  protesting  in  the  hands  of  her  devoted 
friends  Mesdames  Flight  and  Darling,  yet  commending 
her  to  the  guardianship  of  Captain  and  Mrs.  Cranston, 
Percy  Davies  set  forth  upon  a  bitter,  wintry  march  of 
eighty  miles,  answering  the  call  of  duty  at  the  front, 
leaving  wife  and  fireside,  good  name  and  character,  to 
the  care  of  friends  or  foes  who  remained. 


228  UNDER   FIRE. 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

LONG  remembered  at  Fort  Scott  was  the  evening 
that  followed  Mr.  Davies's  departure  for  the  agency. 
Infantry  and  cavalry  both,  the  garrison  took  it  much 
to  heart  that  the  detail  should  have  devolved,  of  all 
men,  upon  him.  Not  because  he  was  comparatively 
young  and  inexperienced  ;  not  because  he  was  just  back 
from  long  leave  that  had  been  necessitated  by  long  and 
serious  illness,  but  solely  and  entirely  because  he  had 
but  recently  married  a  wife,  and  therefore  shouldn't 
have  been  expected  to  go, — should  not  have  been  torn 
from  her  side.  The  women  opened  the  ball,  but  the 
men  were  not  slow  in  taking  the  floor.  What  Davies 
himself  might  think  no  one  knew,  because  Davies 
would  not  say.  He  received  the  order  of  the  post 
commander  without  a  word,  went  home  to  his  wife 
and  sent  Barnickel  to  ask  Captain  Cranston  to  come  to 
him  as  soon  as  possible.  Devers  retired  to  his  quarters 
and  was  not  again  seen  until  after  stables,  when,  scru 
pulously  avoiding  those  of  the  other  troops,  he  visited 
his  own  lines,  having  previously  sent  his  orderly  to 
Mr.  Hastings  to  notify  that  gentleman  that  he  should 
not  require  him  to  attend  stables  this  week,  which  was 
to  have  been  Mr.  Davies's,  but  would  expect  him  to 
superintend  roll-calls.  The  temporary  commanding 
officer  of  the  garrison  and  of  the  cavalry  battalion 
appeared,  therefore,  in  solitary  state  in  his  capacity  as 
captain  of  Troop  "  A."  Officers  who  passed  him  on 


UNDER  FIRE.  229 

the  way  to  or  from  stables  raised  hand  or  cap  in  the 
salute  due  the  post  commander,  but  few  of  them  en 
tered  into  conversation.  Old  Dr.  Rooke,  the  post 
surgeon,  a  man  ten  years  Devers's  senior  in  the  service, 
returning  from  a  visit  to  Colonel  Stone's  bedside,  came 
face  to  face  with  the  captain,  and  the  captain  stopped 
to  make  inquiries.  Rooke's  face  was  grave. 

"  He  is  semiconscious  and  resting  fairly  well,  but 
has  received  a  severe  shock  that  has  clouded  his 
faculties.  I  cannot  say  when  he  will  be  up  again.  I 
do  not  see  any  likelihood  of  his  returning  to  duty  for 
a  month." 

Devers's  face  expressed  all  proper  concern  and  sym 
pathy.  "  It  is  best,  of  course,  that  I  should  know 
this,  but  the  colonel's  friends  are  numerous  in  garrison, 
and  it  is  something  that  would  have  a  depressing  effect. 
I  suggest,  therefore,  that  you  do  not  confide  your  fears 
to  any  one  else.  It  affects  me  painfully  to  hear  it, 
though  I  had  not  the  good  fortune  to  be  in  the  col 
onel's  good  graces.  We  differed  as  to  various  official 
matters." 

"  I'm  aware  of  that,"  said  Rooke,  dryly,  <  and  I  have 
felt  more  than  half  constrained  to  remonstrate  with  you 
as  to  the  confinement  of  Private  Brannan.  He  left  the 
hospital  in  good  condition,  and  with  the  expectation 
of  returning  to  his  detachment  and  duty.  Of  course 
if  new  charges  have  been  lodged  against  him " 

"  New  charges  have  been  lodged  against  him,  doctor. 
He  was  sent  to  the  hospital  at  my  request  that 
he  might  be  restrained  from  liquor,  which,  under 
the  system  pursued  by  Colonel  Stone,  could  at  any 
time  be  procured  by  guard-house  prisoners  who  had 

20 


230  UNDER  FIRE. 

money.  That  he  would  be  able  to  indulge  his  propen 
sity  in  your  department  had  not,  of  course,  occurred 
to  me  as  a  possibility." 

"  Any  criticisms  you  have  to  make  at  the  expense 
of  my  department  will  receive  due  weight,  I  have  no 
doubt,  with  my  superiors,  and  you  will  oblige  me  by 
addressing  them  upon  the  subject,  not  me.  The  post 
commander  expressed  his  entire  approval  of  it,  and  to 
him  and  not  to  the  company  commanders  am  I  respon 
sible,  Captain  Devers.  This,  however,  I  will  say,  sir, 
that  sooner  than  submit  to  further  comment  of  this 
character,  I  shall  telegraph  to  department  head-quarters 
requesting  instant  relief  from  duty  as  post  surgeon 
here,  if  you  are  to  retain  the  command." 

And  liooke  had  gauged  his  man.  He  knew  per 
fectly  well  that  this  application,  coming  on  top  of 
Stone's  prostration,  would  lead  to  the  inevitable  con 
clusion  at  head-quarters  that  the  colonel  could  not  return 
to  duty  for  some  time,  and  the  surgeon  could  not  con 
tentedly  perform  duty  under  Devers  as  temporary  com 
mander.  In  other  words,  that  Devers  was  already 
beginning,  as  the  general  expressed  it,  a  to  cut  up 
didoes/'  and  somebody — some  field  officer — would  be 
at  once  detached,  in  all  probability,  and  sent  from  his 
proper  post  temporarily  to  take  charge  of  matters  at 
Scott.  On  the  other  hand,  if  things  worked  smoothly 
and  with  no  apparent  friction,  Devers  might  hope  to 
retain  command  for  several  weeks,  and  that  would  be  of 
inestimable  benefit.  What  might  not  be  accomplished 
in  that  time?  He  was  quick,  yet  not  too  precipitate, 
therefore,  in  expressing  grave  and  courteous  disclaimer. 
No  reflection  on  Dr.  Rooke's  management  was  in- 


UNDER  FIRE.  231 

tended  or  implied,  though  Dr.  Burroughs,  the  junior, 
had,  in  Devers's  opinion,  laid  himself  open  to  criticism. 
Of  course  being  somewhat  inexperienced,  the  unwar 
rantable  interference  of  Lieutenant  Davies  and  Miss 
Loomis  had  confused  and  hampered  him.  Surely 
Dr.  Rooke  could  not  say  that  he,  Devers,  had  ever 
interfered.  On  the  contrary,  had  he  not  incurred  the 
enmity  of  officers  and  ladies  of  his  own  regiment  by 
making  formal  report  to  the  post  commander  of  what 
he  considered  an  unjustifiable  encroachment  on  their 
part  upon  the  sacred  precincts  of  the  post  surgeon  ? 
Rooke  looked  at  him  from  under  his  shaggy  eyebrows, 
suspicious  and  umnollified.  He  was  a  shrewd  old 
Scotchman,  and  Devers  protested  too  much. 

"  So  far  as  Miss  Loomis  and  Mr.  Davies  are  con 
cerned,"  said  he,  "  I  have  no  exceptions  to  take  what 
soever.  I  knew  the  young  lady's  father  well,  and  I 
have  faith  in  the  young  man.  I  hear  he  has  been  sent 
on  some  temporary  duty  to  the  agency,  captain,  and 
had  he  consulted  me  I  should  have  advised  against  his 
going.  The  suffering  and  exposure  of  such  duty  in 
such  weather  are  more  than  many  a  rugged  man  can 
bear.  Mr.  Davies  has  not  yet  half  recovered  his 
strength." 

"  Then  I  wish  I  had  known  it,  doctor,"  said  Devers, 
diplomatically ;  "  but  not  knowing  it,  I  could  make  no 
other  selection.  The  orders  called  for  a  discreet  officer, 
and  Mr.  Davies's  friends  consider  him  discretion  itself. 
I  have  even  been  led  to  think  he  had  too  much  discre 
tion.  The  orders  said  <  cavalrymen/  therefore  I  was 
limited  to  the  officers  of  my  battalion.  They  said  to 
report  to  Lieutenant  Boynton,  therefore  I  was  limited 


232  UNDER  FIRE. 

to  officers  junior  in  rank  to  him,  for  no  senior  could  be 
required  to  do  it.  Mr.  Boynton  is  a  first  lieutenant, 
and  the  only  first  lieutenants  junior  to  him  here  are 
Hastings,  who  is  eminently  indiscreet,  and  Folsom,  who 
is  a  martyr  to  rheumatism,  as  you  very  well  know. 
The  only  second  lieutenants  now  on  duty  with  us  are 
Sanders,  Jervis,  and  Davies;  certainly  of  the  three 
Davies  is  the  only  one  who  can  be  called  discreet,  and 
he  was  the  only  one  who  had  not  been  on  scout  or  de 
tached  service  of  this  character  since  he  joined.  I 
regret  having  to  break  up  his  honeymooning,  but  even 
that  is  to  be  but  temporary,  for  so  the  orders  said.  I 
explain  all  this  to  you,  doctor,  because  I  respect  y out 
rank  and  service,  but  I  shall  not  condescend  to  justify 
myself  to  my  juniors." 

"  And  have  you  reported  action  yet  by  wire  ?"  asked 
Rooke,  critically. 

"Certainly,"  said  Devers,  but  he  reddened.  Evi 
dently  there  had  been  wide  spread  talk  over  the  selection 
already,  and  speculation  as  to  what  department  head 
quarters  would  think  of  it.  Evidently  it  was  known 
that  he  was  ordered  to  report  by  telegraph,  yet  who 
could  have  "  given  it  away"  ?  The  despatch  was  still 
in  his  waistcoat-pocket,  for  Devers,  unlike  his  trimmer 
juniors,  wore  that  unsoldierly  garment  underneath  his 
sack-coat.  Even  the  adj  utant  had  not  seen  the  despatch, 
and  the  operator  was  sworn  to  secrecy.  He  had  re 
ported  by  wire,  and  in  these  words  :  "  Discreet  officer 
and  twenty  cavalrymen  left  post  at  noon  with  orders 
to  hasten  to  Ogallalla  agency  and  report  to  Lieutenant 
Boynton  for  temporary  duty."  This  was  sent  at  1.15, 
and  he  had  only  just  received  another  inquiring  name 


UNDER  FIRE.  233 

of  the  officer  detailed.  This  he  did  not  mean  to  answer 
until  after  five  o'clock,  by  which  time  he  knew  the 
Omaha  offices  would  be  deserted  and  Davies  some 
thirty  miles  away.  "  The  horses  are  hard  and  sound/' 
he  had  said  to  the  silent  subaltern.  "  You  should 
reach  there  Friday  morning  without  fail  and  without 
fatigue,  and  ought  to  camp  to-night  at  Dismal  River. 
It's  a  long  thirty  miles,  but  you  can  easily  make  it." 
He  meant  Davies  to  be  beyond  recall  in  the  event  of 
disapproval,  and  that  point  secure,  he  didn't  much  care 
what  head-quarters  might  think  or'the  garrison  say. 

And  so  Wednesday's  sun  went  down  red  over  the 
snow -streaked  barren  to  the  west,  and  long,  long  before 
that  the  last  vestige  of  Davies' s  little  party  disappeared 
from  view  among  the  breaks  and  ravines  in  the  low 
range  of  treeless  heights  many  a  long  desolate  mile  to 
the  north,  and  Almira's  faithful  comforters  were  still 
with  her,  and  at  dusk  bustled  her  over  to  Mrs.  Dar 
ling's  for  change  of  scene  and  surroundings  and  tea 
and  a  little  music,  and  presently  sleigh-bells  were  heard, 
and  Mrs.  Flight  screamed  joyously  at  the  window, 
"  Oh,  it's  Mr.  Willett  and  Mr.  Burtis  with  their  lovely 
team,  and  they've  come  out  for  the  hop  !"  And  before 
long  Lieutenant  Darling,  accompanied  by  these  very 
gentlemen,  came  stamping  in,  and  Sanders  and  Tommy 
Dot  followed,  and  in  the  firelight  the  little  army  parlor 
was  a  pretty  picture  as  these  gallants  entered  and  the 
lamps  were  lighted,  and  the  gentlemen  from  town  were 
presented  to  Almira,  and  everybody  thought!  it  the 
proper  thing  to  be  especially  devoted  to  her  by  way  of 
consoling  her  for  this  sudden  and  heartless  separation 
from  her  lord,  and  for  nearly  half  an  hour  her  lovely 

20* 


234  UNDER  FIRE. 

face  maintained  its  expression  of  pathetic  and  uncon 
querable  woe ;  but  Willett  had  seated  himself  at  the 
piano,  and  he  and  Sanders  and  Tommy  Dot  began  sing 
ing  with  inimitable  drollery  some  of  the  popular  melo 
dies  of  the  day,  and  presently,  "  to  save  her  life,"  as  she 
declared,  Alraira  could  not  resist  joining  in  the  laughter 
and  applause,  and  then  Willett  began  telling  of  the  new 
step  they  were  dancing  in  the  East, — he  had  been  home 
just  long  enough  to  attend  a  few  parties, — and  while 
Tommy  Dot  played  a  waltz  he  essayed  to  teach  it  to 
Mrs.  Darling, — a  charming  partner  ordinarily,  but  still 
she  did  not  seem  to  catch  the  idea,  and  Mrs.  Flight 
was  even  less  successful.  Mira  looked  on  with  spark 
ling  eyes  and  new  and  uncontrollable  eagerness.  It 
was  the  very  step  she  had  danced  with  the  aides-de 
camp  in  Chicago  the  previous  September, — almost  the 
same  that  she  had  danced  time  and  again  with  Mr. 
Powlett  at  Urbana,  and  not  a  lady  at  Fort  Scott  had 
yet  learned  it.  At  last  Sanders  spoke, — 

"  Why,  surely  it  is  the  glide  step  you  were  telling  us 
about,  Mrs.  Da  vies."  And  then  Willett  implored  her 
to  try  it  with  him,  and  how  could  she  refuse?  This 
was  not  a  ball  or  party,  it  was  only  a  dancing  lesson ; 
and  somehow,  all  in  a  moment,  she  was  floating  around 
that  little  parlor  on  Willett's  sustaining  arm  in  long, 
graceful,  gliding  steps  that  seemed  admirably  adapted  to 
his,  and  Willett's  face  glowed  with  delight  and  hers 
with  pardonable  triumph,  for  was  she  not  showing 
the  belles  of  the  army  the  latest  thing  out  in  the 
ball-rooms  of  fashionable  society?  And  Sanders  and 
Darling  applauded  enthusiastically,  and  the  ladies  as 
enthusiastically  as  they  could,  for  one's  charitable 


L\\DER  FIRE.  235 

impulses  ooze  all  too  rapidly  when  the  object  looms 
suddenly  as  a  rival.  Sanders  begged  presently  to  try 
with  Mrs.  Davies,  while  Mrs.  Flight  tried  again  with 
Willett,  and  presently  all  were  trying  and  gradually 
mastering  the  new  step,  and  when  it  was  time  to  sepa 
rate  for  dinner  it  was  solemnly  agreed  that  they  would 
tell  no  one  of  their  practice,  but  that  very  night  at  the 
hop  they  would  simply  paralyze  the  entire  assemblage 
by  dancing  the  latest  waltz  step. 

"Now,  Mrs.  Davies,"  said  Willett,  "you've  just 
got  to  go,  if  only  just  once  to  show  them  how,"  and 
Darling  and  Sanders  joined  eagerly  in  the  plea.  There 
was  not  actual  unanimity  as  to  the  propriety  and  neces 
sity  of  the  project,  however.  Mrs.  Flight  was  doubt 
ful,  but  did  not  openly  oppose,  and  Mrs.  Darling  said, 
of  course  dear  Mrs.  Davies  must  know  that  it  would 
certainly  cause  remark.  But  all  through  tea  it  cropped 
out  again  and  again,  and  after  tea  Willett  and  Sanders 
came  back  from  the  mess  dinner  and  renewed  their 
supplications.  It  was,  at  least,  decided  that  Almira 
could  not  be  left  to  mope  alone,  and  as  her  lady  friends 
had  to  go  to  the  hop,  why,  she  might  as  well  go  and 
peep  in  and  hear  the  music  at  any  rate.  There  were 
good  friends,  true  friends  of  her  own  and  her  husband, 
who  would  have  been  glad  indeed  to  spend  the  evening 
with  her,  either  at  her  fireside  or  their  own,  whose 
cards  and  condolences  she  found  on  her  little  hall  table 
when,  escorted  to  the  door  by  Mr.  Willett,  she  went 
home  at  half-past  eight,  just  to  make  some  slight  change 
in  her  toilet,  which,  as  it  stood,  was  too  funereal  for  so 
festive  an  occasion. 

And  so  that  night,  while  Davies  and  his  men  were 


236  UNDER  FIRE. 

huddling  about  the  little  camp-fires  in  the  snow  at 
Dismal  River  and  a  wintry  blast  was  whistling  through 
the  bare,  brown  limbs  of  the  cotton  woods,  there  were 
sounds  of  revelry  at  the  big  frontier  post,  spirited 
music,  merry  laughter,  the  rhythmic  beat  of  martial 
feet  in  the  measures  of  the  dance,  the  rustle  of  silk, 
and  the  pit-a-pat  of  dainty  slippers.  Only  two  or 
three  households  were  unrepresented.  It  was  the  first 
hop  Mrs.  Stone  had  missed.  It  was  something  that 
the  chaplain  and  his  wife  did  not  care  for.  It  was  a 
nuisance  to  Leonard,  who  loved  his  books  and  his 
home.  It  bored  more  than  one  old  warrior,  who  went, 
however,  on  account  of  his  wife  and  daughters,  but 
Captain  and  Mrs.  Devers  were  on  hand,  as  befitted  the 
official  heads,  temporary,  of  post  and  martial  society, 
and  the  Cranstons  with  Agatha  Loomis,  after  again 
going  to  see  if  they  could  do  anything  for  Mrs.  Davies, 
and  again  finding  her  absent  from  home,  concluded  to 
go  over  to  the  hop-room  soon  after  taps,  and  the  first 
thing  that  met  their  eyes  was  the  sight  of  Mira — Mrs. 
Davies — waltzing  down  the  waxed  floor,  and  waltzing 
beautifully  in  the  new  step  that  was  coming  into  vogue 
while  they  were  still  at  home,  and  waltzing  on  the 
encircling  arm  of  the  appreciative  Mr.  Willctt.  Be 
yond  doubt  she  was  the  observed  of  all  observers. 

It  had  all  come  about  in  the  most  natural  and 
matter-of-fact  way.  Mira  had  persisted  for  full  an 
hour  in  her  determination  not  to  dance,  but  again  and 
again  had  Willett  and  Sanders  implored, — Willett  with 
eyes  as  eloquent  as  his  tongue.  "  None  of  these  other 
ladies  had  yet  really  learned  the  step.  Everybody 
longed  to  see  it.  Everybody  had  heard  how  beauti- 


UNDER  FIRE.  237 

fully  she  danced  it,"  and  presently  body  after  body  came 
and  coaxed  "just  to  show  us,"  and  so,  really  before 
she  knew  it,  she  was  again  on  Willett' s  arm,  he  mur 
muring  praise  and  encouragement  into  her  pretty  little 
pink  ear,  and  everybody  seemed  to  stop  to  watch  them, 
and  then  strove  to  imitate.  And  then  Sanders  im 
plored  her  to  give  him  just  one  turn  for  the  honor  of 
the  Eleventh,  and  then  Jervis  wouldn't  be  denied,  and 
Willett  and  Burtis  came  for  more, — Willett  again  and 
again,  and  so  she  danced  until  the  last  waltz  died  away, 
and  her  first  hop  in  the  army  had  been  one  long,  vivid 
triumph;  Willett  in  his  eagerness  forgetting  an  en 
gagement  to  waltz  with  Mrs.  Hay.  "  She  will  never 
forgive  me,"  he  murmured  to  Almira,  as  he  saw  her 
home,  "  but,"  and  his  voice  sank  lower,  "  I  only 
wonder  I  did  not  forget  all — but  yours."  And  that 
was  one  of  the  lovely  things  said  to  her  that  night  she 
did  not  report  in  her  long,  explanatory,  self-exculpatory 
letter  to  Percy.  It  is  possibly  surprising  that  she  had 
sense  enough  not  to  tell  it  to  Mrs.  Flight,  whose  lord 
was  on  duty  as  officer  of  the  guard,  and  who  had 
accepted  Almira's  urgent  invitation  to  come  and  spend 
what  was  left  of  the  night  with  her.  Almira  was 
timid,  even  afraid  to  be  left  alone.  Like  two  school 
girls  they  chattered  about  the  cosey  fire  in  Almira's 
bedroom,  Mrs.  Flight  filling  the  young  wife's  ears 
with  tales  of  the  compliments  that  had  been  passed 
upon  her  beauty,  her  grace,  her  dancing,  her  lovely 
costume, — one  of  Aunt  Almira's  modiste's  most  charm 
ing  creations,  one  she  assuredly  would  not  have  worn 
had  Percy  been  there.  Everybody  had  praised  her  in 
one  way  or  another,  and  many  had  done  so  to  her  face, 


238  USDElt  FIRE. 

Captain  and  Mrs.  Devers,  even,  taking  heart,  as  they 
said,  from  seeing  her  so  delightfully  occupied,  came  up 
to  congratulate  her  on  being  the  belle  of  the  ball  and 
to  express  every  manner  of  condolence  for  the  stern 
necessity  which  called  her  husband  away.  It  was  a 
piece  of  diplomacy  Almira  was  at  a  loss  to  answer. 

Of  all  the  women  present  the  two  whose  opinion 
she  most  dreaded  and  toward  whom  she  felt  absolute 
aversion,  neither  congratulated  nor  praised  her  in  any 
way.  Miss  Loomis  smiled  and  bowed  and  said,  "  Good- 
evening,  Mrs.  Davies,"  in  very  cheery  manner  when 
they  met  in  promenade.  Mrs.  Cranston  bowed  and 
smiled  gravely,  stopped,  and  extended  her  hand,  which 
Almira,  with  heightened  color  and  drooping  eyelids, 
took  nervously. 

"  I  need  not  say  how  we  deplore  the  orders,  Mrs. 
Davies.  I'm  so  sorry  to  have  missed  you  to-day. 
Won't  you  lunch  and  dine  with  us  to-morrow  and  talk 
over  plans?  We  shall  be  so  glad  to  have  you." 

And  Almira  faltered  that  she  had  promised  to  lunch 
at  Mrs.  Darling's  and  spend  the  afternoon,  and  was 
afraid  she  couldn't  promise  to  come  to  dinner,  and  Mrs. 
Cranston  understood.  They  went  home  early,  did 
the  Cranston's, — that  is,  early  for  Fort  Scott, — whereas 
Mrs.  Davies,  influenced  by  her  energetic  friends,  danced 
until  long  after  midnight,  and  then  sat  up  and  talked 
it  all  over  until  long  after  two. 

"  Willett's  simply  gone  on  you,"  was  Mrs.  Flight's 
significant  remark.  "  Xo  wonder  lots  of  our  primmers 
looked  blue  to-night.  Willett  used  to  dance  with  Mrs. 
Wright  and  Mrs.  Hay  all  the  time,  but  he  hardly 
looked  at  them  to-night.  And  did  you  see  the  look 


l\\DER   FIR  I-:.  239 

Miss  Loomis  gave  him  when  he  invited  her?  He  says 
she  snubbed  him  outright."  No,  Almira  hadn't  seen, 
but  she  had  caught  almost  every  look  that  Willett  gave 
her,  and  was  thinking  more  of  those  and  of  what  he 
said,  and  of  his  plea  that  she  should  be  at  Mrs.  Dar 
ling's  for  luncheon  next  day, — they  wouldn't  drive 
back  to  Braska  until  afternoon, — and  of  the  ball  they 
meant  to  give  at  the  railway  hotel  in  town,  to  return 
the  courtesies  of  their  friends  at  the  fort.  He  was  to 
lead  the  german,  and  might  have  to  lead  it  with  Mi's. 
Courtenay  of  the  bank,  who  was  the  leader  of  local 
society  but  couldn't  dance  any  more  than  he  could  fly, 
and  if  Mrs.  Davies  would  only  promise  to  be  there  all 
would  be  bliss.  Mrs.  Davies  had  said  she  could  not 
be  there.  They  were  in  mourning  for  Mr.  Davies's 
mother,  as  Willett  well  knew,  and  she  expected  Percy 
home  within  a  week  or  ten  days.  Captain  Devers  had 
assured  her  it  couldn't  be  for  longer,  and  indeed,  oh, 
no  !  she  couldn't  think  of  going  to  a  ball  in  town. 

But  she  did  think  of  it  very  much  indeed.  She 
thought  of  it,  and  the  dance  of  the  evening  gone,  far 
more  than  she  did  of  Percy  and  his  party  now  sleeping 
in  the  snow  or  shivering  in  the  wind  at  Dismal  River. 
She  wrote  him  one  of  her  long  letters  Thursday  morn 
ing,  spending  over  an  hour  in  the  effort,  and  an  equal 
time  in  her  toilet  for  the  luncheon  at  the  Darlings. 
She  was  in  the  midst  of  this  charming  function,  as 
sisted  by  Mrs.  Flight,  when  the  scons;  on  the  front 

J  O         O 

door  announced  the  coming  of  a  visitor.  "  I  can't  see 
anybody  now,  can  I  ?"  she  hazarded  to  Mrs.  Flight, 
and  Mrs.  Flight  thought  she  really  wouldn't  have 
time,  and  so  whispered  to  Katty,  as  that  Milesian 


240  UNDER  FIRE. 

maid-of-all-work  bustled  through  to  answer  the  sum 
mons,  "  Mrs.  Da  vies  will  have  to  be  excused  to 
callers/'  and  the  parley  at  the  hall  door  was  brief 
enough.  Almira  and  her  assistant  listened, — as  what 
woman  would  not? — heard  the  courteous,  cordial  tone 
of  inquiry  for  Mrs.  Davies,  and  Katty's  flurried  "  Begs 
to  be  excused,  mum,"  and  there  was  no  need  of  the 
question  which  Mrs.  Flight  asked, — "Who  was  it, 
Katty  ?"  for  both  knew  Mrs.  Cranston's  voice. 

"I've  done  my  best,  Wilbur,"  said  Meg,  as  she 
threw  herself  on  the  arm  of  the  big  easy-chair  in 
which  her  lord  was  reading  the  Chicago  papers  before 
the  snapping,  sparkling  fireplace.  "She  did  not  want 
to  see  me  last  night,  and  she  practically  refused  to  see 
me  this  morning.  She  has  chosen  her  intimates,  and 
it  is  a  case  of  like  unto  like.  We  are  not  congenial. 
Yet  I  so  wanted  to  be  a  friend  to  him  and  to  her." 

Cranston  dropped  his  paper  and  threw  his  strong 
arm  about  her  waist,  and  when  a  man  turns  from  the 
contemplation  of  his  favorite  journal  to  that  of  the 
face  of  his  wife  her  queendom  is  assured. 

"You've  done  all  I  could  ask,  dear,"  was  his  an 
swer,  "  but  we  may  have  to  pocket  our  pride  a  little. 
She  is  very  young  and  inexperienced.  She  goes  to 
Darlings'  to-day,  does  she  ? — and  that  coxcomb  Willett 
is  to  be  there,  too."  The  Times  slipped  to  the  floor, 
forgotten,  and  Margaret,  saying  nothing  more,  drew 
closer  to  his  side  and  nestled  her  round,  soft  cheek 
against  his  weather-beaten  jowl,  and  Agatha,  coming 
quickly  in  from  her  supervision  of  the  boys'  lessons  in 
the  adjoining  room,  went  back  to  the  book-littered 
table  unnoticed.  This  frontier  Darby  and  Joan,  whose 


UNDER  FIRE.  241 

tin  wedding  bad  passed  and  gone  long  months  before, 
seemed  spooning  yet.  It's  another  "  way  we  have  in 
the  army,"  and  long  may  it  live  and  linger. 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

LONG  remembered  at  the  agency  and  among  the 
lodges  of  the  assembled  Sioux  was  the  morning  of  the 
arrival  of  Lieutenant  Davies  with  a  squad  of  half- 
frozen  troopers  at  his  back.  The  gale  that  swept  the 
prairies  on  Wednesday  had  died  away.  The  mercury 
in  the  tubes  at  the  trader's  store  had  sunk  to  the  nether 
most  depths.  The  sundogs  blazed  in  the  eastern  sky, 
and  even  the  rapids  of  the  Ilunning  Water  seemed 
turned  to  solid  blue.  Borne  on  the  wings  of  the  blast, 
straight  from  the  frozen  pole,  the  Ice  King  had 
swooped  upon  the  sheltered  valley.  Cold  as  is  the 
wide  frontier  at  such  times,  even  among  the  gray  heads, 
the  old  medicine-men,  the  great-grandmothers  of  the 
tribes,  huddling  in  the  frowzy,  foul-smelling  tepees,  were 
legends  of  no  such  bitter,  biting  cold  as  this.  Cattle 
lying  here  and  there  stark  and  stiffened,  hardy  ponies, 
long  used  to  Dakota  blizzards,  even  some  among  the 
Indian  dogs  had  succumbed  to  its  severity,  while 
over  at  the  agent's,  behind  double-listed  doors  and 
frost-covered  sashes,  around  roaring  coal  fires  in  red- 
hot  stoves,  the  employes  and  their  families  herded 
together  almost  as  did  the  Indians,  execrating  the  drop 
in  the  temperature  one  minute  even  while  thanking 
L  a  21 


242  VXDER  FIRE. 

God  for  it  the  next.  It  was  the  main  thing  that  had 
interposed  to  save  them  from  the  vengeance  of  Red 
Dog's  band. 

All  through  the  desperate  battling  of  the  previous 
summer,  even  in  the  face  of  fiercest  triumph  the  In 
dians  had  known  in  years,  one  little  band  of  Sioux 
had  kept  faith  with  the  white  brother  and  refused  all 
effort  to  draw  its  young  men  to  the  war-path.  For 
months,  from  early  spring-tide,  against  three  columns 
of  regular  troops,  the  kostiles  in  the  Big  Horn  and 
Powder  River  countries  had  more  than  held  their  own, 
and  under  the  spell  of  Sitting  Bull  and  led  by  such 
war  chiefs  as  Crazy  Horse  and  Gall  and  Raiu-in-the- 
Face,  the  turbulent  spirits  of  nearly  every  tribe  had 
swelled  the  fighting  force  until  at  times  six  thousand 
warriors  were  in  the  field  engaged  in  bloody  work. 
The  whole  Sioux  nation  seemed  in  arms.  Ogallalla 
and  Brule,  Minneconjou,  Uncapapa,  Teton  and  San- 
tee,  Sans  Arc  and  Black  Foot,  leagued  with  their  only 
rivals  in  plainscraft  and  horsemanship  and  strategy,  the 
Cheyennes,  thronged  to  that  wild  and  beautiful  land 
once  the  home  of  the  Crows.  Three  columns  had 
striven  to  hem  them  in, — three  thousand  wagon-ham 
pered  soldiers  to  surround  six  thousand  free  lances  of 
the  plains,  and  the  Indians  laughed  them  to  scorn. 
When  the  columns  pressed  too  close  they  swarmed  upon 
the  nearest,  stung  it,  sent  it  staggering  back ;  then 
watched  for  the  next,  and  swept  it  out  of  existence. 
They  flew  at  Crook  on  the  17th  of  June  and  fought  him 
luringly,  begging  him  to  follow  farther  into  their  traps 
in  the  cafion,  but  the  Gray  Fox  knew  them  and  divined 
the  numbers  that  lurked  in  hiding;  behind  the  bold 


UNDER  FIRE.  243 

green  curtain  of  bluffs,  and  so  slipped  out  of  the  toils. 
They  turned  on  Custer  eight  days  later  and  left  no 
tongue  to  tell  the  tale.  Three  columns,  against  such 
energetic  measures,  fell  back  to  recruit  and  refit,  and 
not  until  late  in  the  season,  doubled  in  strength,  could 
they  resume  the  offensive.  Then,  the  summer's  work 
accomplished,  the  warriors  scattered,  spoil  laden,  and 
the  troops  chased  madly  hither  and  yon  until  brought 
up  standing  at  the  boundaries  of  Her  Britannic  Majesty 
on  the  one  side  or  those  of  the  Indian  Bureau  on  the 
other.  Across  the  border-land  Sitting  Bull  snapped 
his  fingers  at  his  pursuers.  Across  the  reservation 
lines  did  many  a  jeering  chief  hurl  taunt  and  challenge 
at  the  baffled  soldiery.  When  winter  came  on  there 
were  still  a  few  strong  bauds  of  Sioux  and  Cheyennes 
dancing  to  the  war-drums  in  the  fastnesses  of  the  Big 
Horn,  whence  Miles  and  Mackenzie  and  the  Frost 
King  soon  routed  them  ;  but  most  of  the  warriors  who 
had  spent  their  season  in  saddle  in  the  field  were  once 
more  at  home  under  the  sheltering  wing  of  the  Depart 
ment  of  the  Interior,  while  their  chiefs  and  leaders, 
their  hands  still  red  with  the  blood  of  Ouster's  men, 
their  wigwams  freshly  upholstered  with  cavalry  scalps, 
went  eastward  on  their  customary  junket  to  the  capital 
of  the  nation,  to  be  fed  and  feted  and  lionized,  to  come 
back  laden  with  more  spoil,  more  arms,  ammunition, 
clothing,  blankets,  tobacco,  kickshaws  and  trumpery 
dear  to  the  savage  heart,  rejoicing,  even  though  they 
marvelled,  at  the  fatuity  of  a  people  that  anually  re 
warded  instead  of  punishing  their  murderous  work. 
They,  the  heroes  of  the  summer's  campaign,  rode  in 
triumph  through  the  very  homes  of  their  victims,  and 


244  UNDER   FIRE. 

weeping  women  and  children  listened  in  amaze  to  the 
plaudits  with  which  their  townspeople  greeted  the  very 
savages  who,  not  six  months  before,  were  hacking  out 
the  last  flutter  of  life,  drinking  the  heart's  blood,  revel 
ling  in  the  dying  moan  of  beloved  husband  or  father. 
Verily,  we're  a  nation  of  odd  contradictions. 

And,  just  as  a  sojourn  in  Washington  seems  to  turn 
many  a  white  brother's  head,  so  did  this,  though  with 
better  reason,  send  the  savage  homeward  with  boastful 
heart.  He  and  his  were  welcomed  back  to  the  fold, 
lavishly  provided  for,  all  manner  of  requests  and  de 
mands  hitherto  denied  now  smilingly  honored.  They 
came  back  lords  of  the  soil,  monarchs  of  all  they  sur 
veyed,  scornful  of  all  who  were  not  with  them  in  the 
warfare  of  the  summer  gone  by,  and  of  these  was  the 
household  of  Spotted  Tail.  Long  time  chief  of  the 
Brules,  he  had  kept  faith  with  the  whites,  his  kith  and 
kin  were  loyal  to  their  obligations,  and  in  so  far  as 
example  and  influence  could  go  they  had  held  their 
tribe,  all  but  the  more  turbulent  young  men,  out  of  the 
fight.  There  was  a  band  that  for  years  had  never 
"  drawn  a  bead"  on  white  man, — settler  or  soldier, — a 
band  that  had  furnished  scouts  and  runners  and  trailers 
and  had  done  yeoman's  work  upon  the  reservations. 
These  were  now,  as  was  to  be  expected,  of  no  more 
consequence  in  council  lodge  or  tribal  dance.  Snubbed 
by  the  war  chiefs,  sneered  at  by  the  young  men, 
slighted  by  the  maidens,  it  was  bad  enough  that  they 
should  have  lost  caste  among  their  own  people,  it  was 
worse,  and  what  made  it  infinitely  worse  that  it  was 
so  utterly  characteristic,  that  these  faithful  allies  and 
servants  should  now  find  themselves  neglected  by  the 


UNDER  FIRE.  245 

very  government  which  they  had  so  earnestly  sup 
ported.  Back  from  the  war-path,  day  after  day,  came 
dozens  of  grinning,  hand-shaking  warriors  lately  in 
rebellion,  and  to  them,  their  squaws  and  children,  with 
lavish  hand  the  agency  dealt  out  blankets  and  calicoes, 
bacon  and  beef,  coffee,  flour,  and  sugar.  Such  re- 
doubtables  as  Red  Dog,  Little  Big  Man,  Prowling 
AVolf,  and  Kills  Asleep  were  swaggering  about,  as 
were  their  young  men,  in  plethora  of  savage  adorn 
ment  and  "  store  clothes/'  Their  squaws  and  children 
were  warm  and  fat  and  garbed  in  attractive  motley. 
Even  their  dogs  were  in  better  fettle  than  the  social 
exiles  of  the  Spotted  Tail  school,  now  in  rags  and 
dependent  for  their  daily  bread  on  what  the  agent 
would  give  them.  Three  times  it  happened  on  ration 
days  that  Red  Dog  and  Kills  Asleep,  swaggering  about 
the  corral,  told  their  followers  to  pick  out  and  drive 
away  such  cattle  as  were  passably  fat  and  presumably 
tender,  leaving  to  the  silent  loyals  only  a  miserable 
batch  of  beeves  which  Lieutenant  Boynton  described 
as  "  dried  on  the  hoof."  The  agent  said  he  couldn't 
help  it,  "  Red  Dog  and  the  likes  of  him  are  now  high 
in  favor  at  Washington.  They  and  their  fellows  could 
have  me  removed  in  a  minute  if  I  interfered,  and  they 
know  it.  There  is  no  lie  at  my  expense  their  inter 
preters  wouldn't  tell  the  inspectors,  and  against  so 
many  witnesses  what  could  I  do  ?" 

"  Do  !"  said  Boynton,  indignantly.  "  Do  your  duty, 
and  I'll  back  you  up.  I'll  testify  to  the  truth." 

And  then  the  agent  smiled  sadly,  but  scornfully,  and 
said  another  truism.  "  What  good  would  that  do  ? 
From  Sheridan  down,  what  army  officer's  statement  has 

21* 


246  UNDER  FIRE. 

any  weight  whatever  with  the  Indian  Bureau, — when 
it  isn't  what  it  wants?" 

"  Well,"  said  Boy n ton,  "  it's  a  damned  shame,  and  I 
mean  to  make  a  formal  report  to  department  head 
quarters  at  once." 

And  the  agent  said  he  wished  he  would,  and  Boyn- 
ton  did,  but  oefore  that  document  could  reach  Omaha 
there  were  other  and  more  serious  troubles.  Two 
Lance  was  the  name  given  the  chief  of  the  little  band 
that  had  stood  fast  with  Spotted  Tail,  and  Two  Lance 
had  begged  that  he  and  his  people  might  be  allowed 
to  go  back  to  where  most  of  the  Brules  lived,  at  the 
old  home  on  the  White  River.  "  This  is  no  place  for 
us,"  said  he.  "  We  are  poor,  hungry,  ragged,  almost 
naked.  We  are  jeered  at.  Even  our  maidens  are 
insulted  by  these  our  own  people  because  we  were 
taught  to  remain  true  to  the  Great  Father  and  take  no 
part  in  the  war.  Now,  behold,  they  who  killed  his 
soldiers,  murdered  his  settlers,  and  ravished  his  women 
are  fat  and  strong  and  rich.  Their  ponies  are  as  the 
herds  of  buffalo  in  our  fathers'  day,  and  we  who  served 
the  great  White  Chief  and  protected  his  children,  we 
are  a  shame  and  a  scorn.  Let  us  go  to  him  who  never 
broke  a  promise  or  told  a  lie  and  he  will  right  us. 
Let  us  go  back  to  Sintogaliska — to  Spotted  Tail/' 
But  the  agent  said  he  had  no  authority.  It  would  be 
another  moon  before  he  could  get  it,  and  it  might  not 
•come  then.  If  they  pulled  up  stakes  and  went  any 
how  he  would  have  to  send  the  white  chief  Boyuton 
with  his  soldiers  to  fetch  them  back ;  and  when  Red 
Dog  and  Kills  Asleep  heard  of  this  they  rode  to  the 
village  of  Two  Lance  and  jeered  him  anew  and  called 


l\\DK/l  FIRE.  247 

him  "White  Heart"  and  "No  Lance,"  and  some  of 
Red  Dog's  young  men  said  worse  things  to  some  of  the 
Brule  girls  who  stood  shrouded  in  their  ragged  blankets, 
bidding  them  follow  and  be  the  mothers  of  men  and 
braves  and  warriors  and  not  remain  in  the  lodges  of 
faint  hearted  curs.  There  were  Brules  there,  young 
braves  who  longed  for  battle  then  and  there,  and  who 
leaped  to  their  gaunt  ponies  and  shouted  challenge  and 
defiance,  but  Two  Lance  interposed.  There  must  be 
no  fratricidal  warring,  said  he.  They  would  lay  the 
matter  before  the  council  fire  of  Sintogaliska, — he  who 
had  ruled  the  Brules  since  first  the  white  tents  of  the 
soldiers  gleamed  along  the  Platte — Sintogaliska  who 
never  lied.  And  this  too  was  jeered  and  flouted. 
Sintogoliska,  indeed  !  Sintogaliska  was  a  traitor,  an 
old  woman  whom  the  white  father  had  bought  with 
beads  and  candy.  The  warriors  of  the  Sioux,  the 
only  men  fit  to  lead,  were  such  as  Red  Dog  and  Kills 
Asleep.  But  still  Two  Lance  kept  his  temper  and  the 
public  peace,  and  again  he  rode  to  the  agent  and  told 
his  story,  and  Boynton  fired  up  and  said  in  common 
decency  the  agent  must  do  something  to  put  a  stop  to 
Red  Dog's  insolence,  and  the  agent  sent  for  Red  Dog 
and  bade  him  report  himself  at  the  agency  forthwith, 
and  Red  Dog  replied  that  he  would  when  he  got  ready, 
and  if  the  agent  wanted  him  sooner,  why,  to  come  and 
get  him,  and  Elk-at-Bay,  who  brought  his  defiance, 
lunged  in  and  laughed  when  he  gave  the  message,  and 
helped  himself  to  the  cigars  remaining  in  the  agent's 
box  and  swaggered  out  with  them. 

That  evening  in  sudden  brawl  and  in  plain  view 
of  Mr.  McPhail,  the  agent,  one  of  Red  Dog's  braves 


248  UNDKn  FIRE. 


stabbed  to  the  heart  the  lover  of  a  Brule"  girl  whom  he 
had  affronted. 

"  Arrest  him  !"  ordered  McPhail,  who  then  turned 
and  ran  in-doors,  —  after  his  pistol,  as  he  said,  possibly 
forgetting  that  it  was  already  on  his  hip.  Boynton 
and  his  men  were  at  the  picket-line  grooming  horses, 
three  hundred  yards  away  at  the  moment,  and  the 
young  brave  mounted  his  pony  and  dared  any  one  to 
take  him,  and  rode  singing  defiantly  down  the  snow- 
covered  valley.  Only  the  previous  day  the  mail  rider 
had  gone  on  his  weekly  trip,  and  now  a  special  mes 
senger  was  needed  to  convey  the  agent's  despatch  to  the 
railway,  for  the  flimsy  single  wire  to  the  reservation 
was  down  and  useless.  The  Indian  who  attempted  to 
carry  the  letter  was  pulled  off  his  pony  by  frolicsome 
friends  of  the  murderer  and  treated  to  a  cold  bath  in 
the  Niobrara.  Not  until  Sunday  night  did  he  get 
back,  half  frozen,  and  tell  his  story.  Meantime  there 
was  more  defiance,  so  another  attempt  was  made. 
Sergeant  Lutz  said  he'd  take  it  this  time,  and  he  rode 
through  to  Braska  on  a  single  horse,  —  seventy-three 
miles  in  thirty  hours.  The  Interior  Department  asked 
immediate  assistance  of  the  War  Department  to  make 
arrests,  and  the  general  commanding  at  Omaha  was 
instructed  by  wire  to  place  a  sufficient  force  with  the 
agent  to  enable  him  to  overpower  two  or  three  turbu 
lent  Indians.  This  sent  Davies  and  twenty  troopers 
to  reinforce  Boynton,  and  the  very  day  they  started 
ushered  in  the  coldest  wave  of  the  winter  and  further 
tragedy  at  Ogallalla. 

Drunk  and  defiant,  the  exulting  murderer  with  two 
or  three  reckless  friends  had  ridden  up  to  the  agency, 


UNDE&  FIRE.  249 

renewed  their  boasts  and  jeers  and  yells,  while  Boyn- 
ton  and  his  men,  as  instructed  by  the  agent,  were  over 
at  the  village  of  Two  Lance,  a  long  mile  away,  round 
ing  tip  their  pony  herd  to  prevent  the  warriors  making 
an  assault  on  Red  Dog's  more  distant  township.  A 
shot  rang  out  from  somewhere  among  the  agency 
buildings,  and  the  days  of  the  boaster  were  numbered. 
Back,  bearing  the  body,  scurried  the  trio  of  friends, 
and  in  less  than  an  hour,  in  fury  and  transport  and 
grief  and  rage,  the  women  were  tearing  their  hair  and 
prodding  themselves  with  knives,  while  the  warriors, 
singing  the  death-song,  were  painting  themselves  for 
battle.  In  vain  the  agent  despatched  messengers  to 
say  he  and  his  men  were  innocent  of  blood  and  would 
bring  the  murderer  of  the  murderer,  some  prowling 
Brule,  to  vengeance.  Swift  return  couriers  bade  him 
beware, — Red  Dog  and  all  his  band  were  coming 
to  avenge  the  deed.  Boynton  was  summoned  in 
hot  haste.  He  and  his  party  came  sweeping  in  on 
the  foremost  wave  of  the  wind,  and  between  the  two 
a  vengeful  band  of  two  hundred  seasoned  warriors, 
veterans  of  many  a  foray,  were  held  at  bay  from 
Wednesday  night.  It  was  too  cold  even  for  fighting. 
And  Friday  morning,  after  hardship  and  suffering 
there  was  no  time  to  tell,  Lieutenant  Davies  with  his 
party  reached  the  threatened  agency,  and  was  greeted 
with  ringing  cheers.  That  evening  the  grasp  of  the 
Ice  King  was  loosened  by  the  soft  touch  of  the  south 
wind,  and  Red  Dog  rode  in  state  to  the  adjoining  camp 
to  claim  the  alliance  of  his  brother  chiefs  in  his  at 
tempt  to  wrest  from  the  agent  the  perpetrator  of  the 
murder  of  his  tribesman.  That  the  dead  Indian  was 


250  UNDER   FIRE. 

himself  a  murderer  had  no  bearing  on  the  matter,  said 
Red  Dog.  He  had  simply  knifed  in  self-defence  a 
beggarly  Brule  who  quarrelled  with  him  over  a  girl. 
The  blood  of  Lone  Wolf  cried  aloud  for  vengeance, 
and  the  agent  should  not  be  permitted  to  harbor  or 
conceal  his  slayer.  "  You've  got  no  time  to  lose/'  said 
Boynton,  who  had  kept  his  scouts  on  the  alert.  "  You 
should  arrest  that  old  villain  at  once  or  he'll  stir  the 
whole  reservation  into  mutiny."  The  agent  thought 
he  could  accomplish  more  by  seeing  him  and  having  a 
talk.  "  Indians  are  always  ready  for  a  talk,"  said  he. 
"  I'll  take  Mr.  Davies  and  a  couple  of  men  just  for 
appearance's  sake  and  ride  right  over  to  the  village. 
He's  at  Kills  Asleep's  now." 

Boynton  argued,  but  the  agent  was  afraid  to  adopt 
the  only  course  an  Indian  respects, — prompt  and  forceful 
measures.  "  Talk"  means  to  him  delay,  compromise, 
confession  of  weakness.  "  Well,  if  you  must  palaver," 
said  Boynton,  finally,  "  take  me  along.  "  I've  had 
more  to  do  with  those  beggars  than  Davies,  and,"  he 
added  to  himself,  "  I'll  make  it  possible  to  nab  that 
fellow." 

A  most  impressive  scene  was  that  which  met  the 
eyes  of  the  little  party  as  they  rode  to  the  village  across 
the  frozen  stream.  The  moon  was  shining  almost  at 
full  in  a  clear  and  cloudless  sky.  The  neighboring 
slopes,  the  distant  ridge,  the  broad  level  of  the  valley, 
all  blanketed  in  glistening  'snow.  Half  a  mile  away 
down-stream  in  one  dark  cluster  of  jagged-topped 
cones  lay  the  village  of  lied  Dog's  people.  Away  up 
stream  a  long  mile,  black  against  the  westward  slope, 
the  corral  and  storehouses,  the  school  and  office  and 


UNDER  FIRE.  251 

quarters  of  the  agency,  the  watch-lights  twinkling  like 
the  stars  above.  Close  at  hand,  loosely  huddled  along 
the  bank,  the  grimy,  smoke-stained  lodges  of  Kills 
Asleep's  sullen  band,  and  in  their  midst,  surrounded 
at  respectful  distance  by  a  squatted  semicircle  of  old 
men  and  braves,  all  muffled  in  their  blankets,  and  by 
an  outer  rim  of  hags  and  crones  and  young  squaws 
and  children  and  snarling  dogs  and  shaggy  ponies, 
there  with  trailing  war-bonnet  and  decked  with  paint 
and  barbaric  finery,  his  robe  cast  aside, — there  like  an 
orator  of  old  stood  the  Indian  chief  in  the  heat  of  his 
impassioned  appeal.  All  eyes  were  upon  him,  all  ears 
drinking  in  his  words.  Guttural  grunts  of  approval 
rewarded  each  resounding  period.  "  You're  too  late," 
muttered  Boynton.  "  He's  been  getting  in  his  work 
to  good  effect.  You  should  have  arrested  him  an  hour 
ago." 

The  agent  reined  in  his  panting  horse  and  looked 
and  listened.  "  He  won't  talk  to  me  now,  I  suppose. 
It  would  be  an  affront  to  his  dignity  to  interrupt. 
Best  let  him  finish  what  he's  begun.  What  shall  we 
do  meantime?" 

"  What  you'd  best  do  is  to  give  me  orders  to  nab 
the  old  sinner  in  my  own  way  and  go  back  to  the 
agency  as  quick  as  you  can.  Your  life  won't  be  worth 
a  pin  in  that  crowd  when  he's  done  speaking.  Go 
while  there's  yet  time  and  tell  Mr.  Davies  to  send  me 
Sergeant  Lutz  and  six  men  mounted.  Keep  the  rest 
under  arms  in  the  corral.  I'll  land  Red  Dog  inside 
the  walls  within  an  hour  if  you'll  only  say  the  word. 
Damn  it,  man  !  you've  got  to,  or  your  influence  is  gone." 

"  He's  got  more  influence  now  than  I  ever  had,  and 


252  UNDER  FIRE. 

the  whole  Indiana  delegation  backed  me  for  the  place," 
wailed  McPhail.  "  What  in  heaven  I  thought  to  gain 
by  coming  out  here  and  taking  such  a  job  is  more  than 
I  can  guess  now.  Every  one  said  there  was  money  in 
it;  no  one  thought  of  the  danger.  If  my  wife  and 
kids  were  only  safe  at  home  I  wouldn't  care  so  much. 
It's  that  that  I'm  thinking  of.  Can't  we  do  this  some 
how  without  bringing  on  a  row  ?" 

a  The  row's  here  now  and  growing  worse  every  min 
ute.  His  own  bucks  are  ready  for  battle.  He'll  have 
every  son  of  a  squaw  in  this  camp  painting  himself 
chrome-yellow  inside  an  hour,  and  he'll  never  rest  till 
he's  harangued  every  village  in  the  valley  twixt  this 
and  morning.  Our  one  chance  is  to  nab  him  midway 
when  he  rides  from  here  to  Little  Big  Man's  roost  up 
stream.  Tell  Lutz  to  meet  me  at  the  willows,  and  for 
God's  sake  go !" 

And  still  the  agent  hesitated.  Barely  six  months 
had  he  served  in  his  ne\v  and  unaccustomed  sphere. 
Old-world  nations,  either  monarchies  that  take  no 
thought  for  the  morrow's  vote  of  the  masses,  or  re 
publics  that  have  outlived  their  illusions,  suit  their 
servants  to  the  work  in  hand.  Uncle  Sam,  having 
hosts  of  importunate  sons  demanding  recognition  irre 
spective  of  merit,  and  being  as  yet  barely  a  centenarian, 
is  at  the  mercy  of  his  clamorous  and  inconsiderate 
millions.  Each  salaried  office  in  his  gift  calls  with 
each  new  administration  for  a  new  incumbent,  whose 
demanded  qualifications  are  not  "  what  can  he  do  to 
improve  the  service?"  but  "  what  has  he  done  to  benefit 
the  party  ?"  In  this  way  do  we  manufacture  consuls 
who  know  next  to  nothing  of  the  manners,  customs, 


L\\DER  FIRE.  253 

language,  and  business  abroad,  and  agents  who  know 
even  less  of  the  Indians  at  home. 

But  the  problem  in  hand  was  settled  for  the  sorely 
troubled  official  in  a  most  unlooked-for  way.  Sharp- 
eyed  squaws  spied  the  little  squad  of  horsemen  at  the 
outskirts  of  the  village,  the  agent  in  his  wolf-skin 
overcoat,  the  troopers  in  the  army  blue,  with  the  collars 
of  their  overcoats  up  about  their  ears,  and  some  one  ran 
to  Red  Dog  with  the  news.  With  all  "  the  majesty  of 
buried  Denmark"  he  paused  in  his  speech,  faced  the 
intruders,  then  came  striding  slowly  towards  them, 
warriors,  women,  squaws,  and  children  opening  out 
and  making  a  lane  for  his  royal  progress. 

"  Whatever  you  do,  no  words  with  him  here,"  whis 
pered  Boynton  to  the  agent,  now  trembling  with  excite 
ment  and  nervous  apprehension.  "Stand  to  your 
terms.  He  can  talk  with  you  only  at  your  office, — 
the  agency." 

With  the  stately  war-bonnet  of  eagle  feathers  trail 
ing  down  his  back  and  dragging  along  the  ground,  the 
chief  came  stalking  on,  never  hastening,  never  slacken- 
in""  his  stride,  and  after  him  flocked  the  warriors  and 

§ 

women  of  the  tribe,  the  men  eager  and  defiant,  the 
women  trembling  in  fearsome  dread. 

"  Shall  we  turn  and  ride  away  ?"  asked  the  agent, 
his  blue  lips  twitching. 

"No.  Face  him  now, — cool  as  you  can.  Look 
him  straight  in  the  eye.  Make  no  answer, — I'll  do  that. 
Ride  slowly  away  when  I  say  '  now,9  and  not  before. 
Advance  carbine  there,  men  !  Fetch  'em  up  slowly." 

Ten  feet  away  from  them  Red  Dog  halted  and  stood 
erect,  drawn  up  to  his  full  height.  Slowly  he  folded 

22 


254  UNDER  FIRE. 

his  arms,  and  sternly  he  bent  his  gaze  upon  the  four 
white  men.  Silently  his  followers  ranged  up  in  big 
circle,  almost  enveloping  the  stolid  troopers.  For  a 
moment  nothing  was  heard  but  the  shuffling  of  moc- 
casined  feet,  the  quick  breathing  or  murmured  words 
of  the  squaws,  the  feeble  wail  of  some  Indian  baby  left 
to  its  own  devices  in  the  parental  lodge.  Sniffing  the 
tainted  air  the  horses  shrank  a  bit,  rallying  under  the 
prompt  touch  of  the  spur  and  standing  with  erect, 
quivering  ear  and  starting  eyeball,  staring  at  the 
coming  throng  and  uttering  low  snorts  of  fear.  And 
then  at  last  in  the  Dakota  tongue  Red  Dog  hailed  his 
visitors  just  as  down  the  valley  the  monotonous  throb 
of  the  Indian  drum  began. 

"  Why  are  these  soldiers  here  ?" 

To  the  agent  it  was,  of  course,  unintelligible :  he 
had  been  among  the  tribe  too  short  a  time.  Boyutou 
understood,  and  in  low  tone  muttered,  "  Pay  no  atten 
tion  to  him  whatever.  Look  around  as  though  you 
were  in  search  of  somebody  you  knew  and  wanted  to 
see."  Then  aloud  he  .  called,  authoritively,  "  Come, 
step  out  there,  some  one  of  you  who  can  speak  soldier 
English.  Where's  Elk  ?  He'll  do  if  you  want  to  ask 
questions."  And  presently  Elk-at-Bay,  he  who  bore  the 
chieftain's  message  and  confiscated  the  agent's  cigars, 
edged  his  way  to  the  front,  but  with  far  less  truculence 
of  mien  than  when  the  agent  stood  unsupported  by 
soldiers. 

"  Red  Dog  asks  why  soldiers  here,"  said  he. 

"  Tell  him  we're  here  to  enjoy  the  scenery,  if  you 
know  how  to  do  it,  and  minding  our  own  business/' 
was  Boynton's  reply. 


UXDER  FIRE.  255 

"  Red  Dog  not  speak  to  soldiers.  He  asks  the  man 
the  Great  Father  sends  him." 

"  Well,  you  tell  him  the  agent  of  the  Great  Father 
will  talk  with  him  there,  at  his  office,  and  nowhere 
else/'  said  Boynton,  "and  that  to-night's  his  last 
chance  to  hear  what  the  Great  Father  has  to  say  to 
him." 

Unfolding  his  arms,  the  chief  took  a  splendid 
stride  forward.  He  understood  Boynton,  as  Boynton 
well  knew,  and  now  was  preparing  for  an  outburst  of 
oratory.  The  instant  he  opened  his  mouth  to  speak 
Boynton  turned  to  the  agent  and  whispered,  "  Now/' 
and  coolly  and  indifferently  as  he  knew  how,  that 
official  reined  his  broncho  around  and  headed  him  for 
the  twinkling  lights  of  the  distant  buildings.  Red 
Dog  began  in  sonorous  Dakota,  with  magnificent  sweep 
of  his  bare,  silver-banded  arm,  and  Boynton  touched 
up  his  charger  impatiently  and  rode  a  length  closer, 
his  two  troopers  sitting  like  statues  with  the  butts  of 
their  carbines  resting  on  the  thigh,  the  muzzles  well 
forward. 

"  Red  Dog  wastes  time  and  wind  talking  here.  If 
he  wants  to  be  heard  let  him  go  there,"  said  Boynton, 
pointing  to  the  distant  agency.  "Unless,"  he  added, 
with  sarcastic  emphasis, — "  unless  Red  Dog's  afraid." 
And  then  he,  too,  reined  deliberately  about  and  sig 
nalled  to  his  men  to  follow.  For  a  moment  there  was 
silence  as  Elk  stumblingly  put  into  Sioux  the  lieu 
tenant's  ultimatum.  Then  came  an  outburst  of  wrath 
and  invective.  Red  Dog  afraid,  indeed !  Loudly  he 
called  for  his  horse,  and  the  crowd  gave  way  as  a  boy 
came  running  leading  the  chief's  pet  piebald.  In  an 


256  UNDER  FIRE. 

instant,  Indian  fashion,  he  had  thrust  his  heavily- 
beaded  moceasin  far  into  the  off-side  stirrup  and  thrown 
his  leggined  left  leg  over  the  high  silver-tipped  canile, 
and  the  trained  war  pony  began  to  bound  and  curvet. 
Swinging  over  his  head  his  beautiful  new  Winchester, 
Red  Dog  rode  furiously  to  and  fro,  haranguing  the 
excited  tribesmen,  and  speedily  more  Indians  were 
sitting  hunched  up  in  saddle,  but  darting  skilfully 
hither  and  yon,  yelping  shrill  alarm.  Others  dashed 
away  to  the  distant  village  to  rouse  Red  Dog's  own 
people  and  summon  the  warriors  that  remained.  In 
fifteen  minutes,  at  the  head  of  three  hundred  mounted 
braves,  Red  Dog  was  riding  straight  for  the  agency, 
his  escort  gaining  numbers  with  every  rod.  Red  Dog 
afraid,  indeed ! 

Over  the  moonlit  sweep  of  snow  the  watchers  at 
the  corral  saw  the  coming  throng,  a  moving  mass, 
black  and  ominous  as  the  storm-cloud.  Within  the 
buildings  all  hands  were  hastily  barricading  doors  and 
windows  and  bustling  a  few  women  and  children, 
trembling  and  terrified,  into  the  cellars.  Out  in  the 
corral  in  disciplined  silence  the  troopers  were  promptly 
mustering  and  forming  line.  Six  or  eight  of  the  party 
that  arrived  with  Davies  that  morning  having  badly 
frozen  fingers  and  toes  were  told  off  to  act  as  horse- 
holders.  "  We've  simply  to  fight  on  the  defensive/' 
said  Boynton  to  his  silent  second  in  command,  "  and 
we'll  fight  afoot.  Thirty  men  can  defend  the  corral 
and  out-houses  and  the  front  of  the  agency.  The  rest 
we'll  put  in  the  building.  That's  all  we've  got." 

Away  from  the  excited  group  at  the  office  door  a 
horseman  turned  and  spurred  full  speed  for  the  hills 


UNDER  FIRE.  257 

far  to  the  southwest.  "  Tell  ?em  we're  attacked  by 
overpowering  numbers/'  said  McPhail,  "and  want  in 
stant  help, — all  they  can  send  us."  There  was  no  time 
to  write  despatches ;  the  shouts  and  taunts  and  shrill 
defiance  of  the  coming  troop  already  rang  in  their  ears. 

"Now  then,  McPhail,"  said  Boyntou,  lunging  up 
through  the  snow-drifts,  carbine  in  hand,  "I've  got 
my  men  at  every  loop  and  knot-hole,  and  those  beggars 
can't  take  this  shop  to-night.  What  I  want  is  au 
thority  to  arrest  that  head  devil  the  moment  he  gets 
here." 

"  It  will  only  infuriate  them  and  make  matters 
worse,"  pleaded  the  representative  of  the  Indian  bureau. 

"  Well,  it's  the  only  way  to  put  an  end  to  the  row," 
said  the  soldier.  "The  only  thing  in  God's  world 
those  fellows  respect  is  force  and  pluck.  You've  tem 
porized  too  long.  Arrest  him  and  tell  his  fellows  to 
disperse  to  their  tepees  in  two  minutes  or  we  open 
fire." 

"How  can  you  arrest  him  in  front  of  all  that 
array  ?"  was  the  tremulous  question.  "  Do  you  sup 
pose  they'll  permit  it?" 

"  That's  my  business,"  was  Boynton's  answer.  "  I 
don't  mean  to  let  that  gang  come  within  three  hundred 
yards,  and  you're  a  worse  fool  than  I  thought  if  you 
overrule  me.  I'm  going  to  ride  out  there  now  to  halt 
them  at  the  creek.  Then  you  order  Red  Dog*  for  ward 
with  his  interpreter  and  bring  him  in  here  a  prisoner. 
You've  not  an  instant  to  lose,"  he  finished  as  a  trooper 
came  up  at  the  run,  Boynton's  big  bay  trotting  at  his 
heels.  The  lieutenant  was  in  saddle  in  a  second. 
"  Are  you  agreed  ?"  he  asked. 

r  22* 


258  UNDER  FIRE. 

"  Why,  they'll  say  we  began  it,  lieutenant.  They'll 
swear  they  were  only  coming  to  talk.  They've  always 
been  accustomed  to  come  here  whenever  they  wanted 
to.  We  have  only  a  handful  of  men ;  they've  got  a 
thousand  fighting  braves  within  a  day's  call.  My 
God  !  I  can't  risk  my  family  !" 

"  You've  done  that  already  with  your  confounded 
temporizing.  Look  there,  man.  It's  too  late  now. 
There's  where  I  would  have  held  them,  along  the  creek 
bank.  Now  they're  swarming  across." 

Singing,  shouting,  brandishing  lance  and  rifle,  their 
barbaric  ornaments  gleaming  in  the  frosty  moonlight, 
some  of  the  younger  men  darting  to  and  fro  on  their 
swift  ponies,  mad  with  excitement,  on  came  the  surging 
crowd,  led  by  the  majestic  figure  of  the  big  chief,  jog 
ging  straight  on  at  the  slow,  characteristic  amble  of  the 
Indian  pony,  his  war-bonnet  trailing  to  the  ground. 
From  far  and  near,  up  and  down  the  valley,  dim, 
ghostly,  shadowy  horsemen  came  darting  to  join  the 
array.  Close  behind  Red  Dog  some  rabid  warrior 
began  a  wild  war  chant,  and  others  took  it  up.  Some 
where  along  the  throng  a  tom-tom  began  its  rapid, 
monotonous  thump,  and  here,  there,  and  everywhere 
the  rattles  played  their  weird,  stirring  accompaniment. 

"  Well,  by  God,  McPhail !  you  may  let  them  ride 
over  you  and  yours,  but  they  can't  ride  over  me 
and  mine  without  a  fight,"  said  Boyntou,  now  wild 
with  wrath.  "  That  whole  force  will  be  swarm 
ing  through  the  premises  in  five  minutes.  Quick, 
Davies !"  he  cried.  "  Forward  as  skirmishers  !  Cover 
that  front !  Ten  men  will  do."  And  without  further 
command;  scorning  prescribed  order  of  formation,  but 


UNDER  FIRE.  259 

with  the  quick  intuition  of  the  American  soldier, — the 
finest  skirmisher  in  the  world, — a  little  party  of 
troopers  watching  at  the  corral  gate,  sprang  forth  into 
the  moonlight  and,  opening  out  like  a  fan,  carbines  at 
trail  or  on  the  shoulder,  forward  at  full  run  they 
dashed,  spreading  as  rapidly  as  they  possibly  could  to 
irregular  intervals  of  something  like  ten  yards  from 
man  to  man,  and  presently  there  interposed  between 
the  coming  host  and  the  black  group  of  buildings  at 
their  back  this  thin  line  of  dismounted  men,  halted  in 
silence  to  await  the  orders  of  the  tall,  slender  subaltern 
officer,  who,  afoot  like  themselves,  now  stood  some 
thirty  paces  in  rear  of  their  centre,  calmly  confronting 
the  advancing  Indians.  Up  to  Davies's  side  rode 
Boynton,  bent  and  whispered  a  word,  then  spurred 
forward  to  the  line,  and  there,  reining  in,  raised  to  the 
full  length  of  his  arm  a  gauntleted  hand,  palm  to  the 
front,  and  gave  the  universal  signal  known  by  every 
Indian  and  frontiersman  from  Hudson's  Bay  to  the 
Gulf  of  California,—"  Halt !" 

"  Red  Dog  comes  to  talk  with  the  Great  Father's 
agent,  not  with  you,"  shouted  Elk,  lashing  forward 
for  a  parley. 

"  All  right.  Come  on,  you  and  Red  Dog,  but  order 
your  gang  to  stay  where  they  are.  The  agent  will  talk 
with  Red  Dog,  but  no  one  else." 

Without  audible  orders  of  any  kind,  the  Indians 
had  suddenly  ceased  their  clamor,  and  now,  apparently, 
were  quickly  ranging  up  into  long,  irregular  line  in 
rear  of  their  chief.  Presently,  as  Red  Dog  and  Elk 
conferred,  there  stretched  across  the  snow-streaked 
prairie  some  three  hundred  motley  braves,  mounted  on 


260  UNDER  FIRE. 

their  war  ponies,  the  flanks  of  the  line  receiving  con 
stant  additions  from  the  direction  of  the  distant  lodges. 
Then  Elk  again  came  forward,  Red  Dog  sitting  in 
statuesque  dignity  in  front  of  his  tribesmen. 

"  The  white  chief  has  his  soldiers.  The  agent  of 
the  Great  Father  has  his  men.  Red  Dog  demands  the 
right  to  bring  an  equal  retinue,"  was  doubtless  what 
the  Indian  wished  to  say  and  what  in  the  homely 
metaphor  of  the  plains  he  made  at  once  understood. 
"You  got  soldiers.  Agent  goc  heap.  Red  Dog  lie 
say  he  bring  heap  same,"  was  the  way  Elk  put  it,  and 
Boynton  expected  it. 

"  Tell  Red  Dog  the  soldiers  will  fall  back  and  the 
agent  come  half-way  out  afoot.  Red  Dog  and  you 
dismount  and  come  forward  half-wray.  If  your  people 
advance  a  step  we  fire.  That's  all." 

Another  low-toned  parley  between  the  chief  and  his 
henchmen.  Two  minutes  of  silent  fidgeting  along  the 
line  of  mounted  Indians.  Like  so  many  blue  statues 
the  skirmishers  stood  or  knelt,  carbines  advanced, 
every  hammer  at  full  cock.  Back  in  the  shadows  of 
the  agency  hearts  were  thumping  hard  and  all  eyes  were 
strained  upon  the  scene  at  the  east.  The  moon,  riding 
higher  every  moment,  looked  coldly  down  upon  the 
valley.  Elk  came  forward  again,  and  Red  Dog's  war- 
bonnet  wagged  first  to  right  and  then  to  left.  He  was 
saying  something  in  low  tone  to  the  braves  at  his  back  and 
they  were  passing  it  along  to  the  outer  flanks  of  the  line. 

"  Red  Dog  says  soldiers  go  back  and  agent  come  out 
and  talk,"  said  he. 

"  All  right  so  far,  but  does  Red  Dog  agree  to  dis 
mount?  Does  he  agree  to  hold  his  people  where  they 


UNDER  FIRE.  261 

are?  Does  he  understand  that  if  they  advance  we 
fire?  Here,  Red  Dog,"  said  Boynton,  riding  forward 
half  a  dozen  yards,  "  you  understand  me  well  enough. 
If  your  crowd  moves  a  pony  length  forward  we  fire, 
and,  mark  you,  any  trick  or  treachery  and  down  you 
go,  first  man." 

To  this  Red  Dog  deigned  no  other  response  than  a 
scowl. 

"Back  up  slowly,  men,  face  to  the  front,"  said 
Boynton  to  his  silent  line.  "  Hold  'em,  Davies.  I'll 
gobacktoMcPhail." 

But  when  the  agent  was  told  the  terms  of  the  parley 
he  refused.  "  Why,  he'd  knife  or  pistol  me  just  as 
the  Modocs  did  the  Peace  Commissioners,"  said  he. 
"  I  won't  step  off  the  agency  porch.  We've  got  seven 
armed  men  here.  Let  him  bring  seven,  and  you  have 
your  soldiers  ready  inside  the  corral.  Then  if  he 
wants  to  talk  business  he  can  see  me  here." 

By  this  time,  slowly  retiring  and  gradually  closing 
toward  the  centre,  Davies  and  his  skirmishers  had 
come  back  within  twenty  yards  of  the  building.  Boyn 
ton  swore  a  round  oath.  "  There's  no  help  for  it, 
Parson,  we've  got  to  do  as  this  chump  decides.  There's 
one  chance  yet.  Get  your  men  back  to  their  loop-holes 
and  join  me  here.  No  man  to  fire,  remember,  except 
as  ordered." 

Quickly  the  troopers  scurried  back  to  their  positions 
along  the  stockade.  Originally  it  had  been  intended 
to  enclose  all  the  buildings  within  this  defensive  work, 
but  the  returning  tourists  were  prompt  to  express  their 
disapprobation.  Having  just  shaken  hands  with  the 
Great  Father  at  Washington,  they  were  suspicious  of 


262  UNDER  FIRE. 

such  an  exhibition  of  lack  of  confidence  on  the  part  of 
his  agent.  That  the  store-rooms  should  have  iron-barred 
windows  was  another  ground  for  remark  and  remon 
strance.  The  red  children  refused  to  enter  a  stockade 
whose  gates  might  be  closed  behind  them,  or  a  room 
whose  windows  were  barred.  An  inspector  came  out 
and  held  a  powwow  and  shook  hands  with  everybody, 
and  told  the  agent  the  red  children  were  lambs  who 
would  never  harm  him  and  he  mustn't  show  distrust. 
It  hurt  their  sensitive  natures.  So  the  stockade  only 
enclosed  the  shed  and  stables,  but  it  abutted,  luckily, 
upon  the  agent's  house  and  office.  Re-entering  the 
house  from  the  rear,  after  a  few  words  of  instruction  to 
Sergeant  Lutz  and  his  men,  Davies  pushed  through 
hurriedly  to  the  front  piazza.  Red  Dog  in  grand 
state,  with  an  interpreter  at  his  left  rear  and  seven 
stalwart  braves  aligned  like  a  general's  staff  six  yards 
behind  him,  came  riding  with  majestic  dignity,  straight 
to  the  dark  portico.  Red  Dog  afraid,  indeed  !  Turn 
ing  his  horse  over  to  an  orderly  aud  sending  him 
within  the  stockade,  Boynton  ordered  the  gate  closed. 

"  We'll  have  a  breeze  here  in  a  minute,"  he  whis 
pered  to  Davies.  "  That  sinner  means  mischief.  Yon 
watch  him  and  the  agent.  I'll  keep  my  eye  on  the 
main  body." 

Fifteen  yards  away,  Red  Dog  halted  and  silently 
studied  the  shadowy  group  on  the  agency  porch. 
There  stood  the  bureau's  "  ablegate,"  the  official  inter 
preter  by  his  side.  In  the  door-way,  dimly  outlined, 
were  two  of  his  assistants,  men  who  had  known  the 
Sioux  for  years,  but  knew  not  influential  relatives  in 
the  East.  Boynton  ranged  up  close  alongside  in  hopes 


UNDER  FIRE.  263 

of  prompting  the  official.  "He's  beginning  to  look 
knee-sprung  already,"  whispered  he  to  Davies,  "but 
I'll  brace  him  if  I  can."  Just  behind  the  agent  stood 
one  of  his  police,  and  this  was  before  the  days  of  an 
Indian  police  that,  properly  handled,  proved  valuable 
as  auxiliaries.  Then  Red  Dog  in  slow,  sonorous 
speech  began  to  declaim. 

"Choke  him  off!  Make  him  dismount  and  report 
at  your  office.  He'll  only  insult  you  where  he  is," 
whispered  Boynton. 

"  Red  Dog  says,  as  the  agent  didn't  dare  come  and 
get  him,  he  concluded  to  come  in  and  see  whether  the 
agent  would  dare  take  him,"  began  the  interpreter,  in 
trembling  tones,  the  moment  the  Indian  paused. 

"  Too  late,  by  God  !"  hissed  Boynton  between  his 
set  teeth.  "  He  means  to  blackguard  the  whole  party 
right  here  and  then  ride  off  rejoicing." 

And  Red  Dog  reined  closer  and  began  anew.  Throw 
ing  back  his  quill -embroidered  robe,  he  lifted  a  muscu 
lar  arm  to  heaven,  and  with  clinching  fist  and  flashing 
eyes  seemed  to  hurl  invective  straight  in  the  agent's  face. 

"  You  dare  demand  the  arrest  of  Red  Dog,  do  you  ?" 
he  thundered  in  his  native  tongue,  leaving  hardly  an 
instant  for  the  interpreter.  "Now  hear  Red  Dog's 
reply.  The  blood  of  one  of  our  young  men  calls  aloud 
for  vengeance.  His  slayer  is  here  and  you  know  him. 
Red  Dog,  backed  by  the  braves  of  every  tribe  at  the 
reservation,  comes  to  demand  his  surrender.  Give 
him  up  to  us  and  your  lives  are  safe.  Refuse,  and 
you,  your  wives  and  children,  are  at  the  mercy  of  my 
young  men.  Red  Dog  dares  and  defies  the  soldiers  of 
the  Great  Father." 


264  UNDER   FIRE. 

Consciously  or  unconsciously,  in  the  magnificence  of 
his  wrath,  the  chief  had  ridden  almost  to  the  very  edge  of 
the  porch  and  there  shook  his  clinched  fist  iii  the  ghastly 
face  of  McPhail.  The  agent  started  back  amazed, 
terrified,  for  as  though  to  emphasize  his  defiance  Red 
Dog's  gleaming  revolver  was  whipped  suddenly  from 
its  sheath  and  flashed  aloft  over  his  feathered  head. 

And  then  there  came  sudden  fury  of  excitement. 
A  bound  from  the  edge  of  the  porch,  a  fierce  yell, 
an  outburst  of  Indian  war-cries,  a  surging  forward  of 
the  escort  at  the  chieftain's  back,  a  rush  and  scurry  in 
the  offices,  the  slamming  of  doors,  the  flash  and  report 
of  a  dozen  revolvers,  a  distant  roar  and  thunder  of  a 
thousand  hoofs  and  chorus  of  thrilling  yells,  a  scream 
from  the  women  and  children  in  the  cellars  below,  a 
ringing  cheer  from  the  stockade,  followed  by  the  res 
onant  bang,  bang  of  the  cavalry  carbine,  and  all  in 
an  instant  a  mad,  whirling  maelstrom  of  struggle  right 
at  the  steps,  braves  and  ponies,  soldiers  and  scouts,  all 
crashing  together  in  a  rage  of  battle,  and  then,  bend 
ing  low  to  avoid  the  storm  of  well-aimed  bullets  from 
practised  hands  at  the  stockade,  some  few  warriors 
managed  to  dash,  bleeding,  away,  just  as  a  determined 
little  band  of  blue-coats,  half  a  dozen  in  number, 
leaped  through  the  door-way  and  down  the  steps, 
blazing  into  the  ruck  as  they  charged,  and  within 
another  minute  were  coolly  kneeling  and  firing  at  the 
swarming,  yelling,  veering  warriors,  already  checked 
in  their  wild  dash  to  the  rescue,  and  within  the  little 
semicircle  two  furiously  straining  forms,  locked  in 
each  other's  arms,  were  rolling  over  and  over  on  the 
trampled  snow, — Red  Dog,  panting,  raging,  biting, 


UNDER  FIRE.  265 

cursing,  but  firmly,  desperately  held  in  the  clasp  of  an 
athletic  soldier,  for  without  a  word  Percy  Davies  had 
leaped  from  the  porch  and  borne  the  Sioux  chieftain 
struggling  to  the  ground.  Red  Dog, — redder  than 
ever  before,  even  on  the  bloody  day  of  the  Little  Horn, 
— bound  hand  and  feet  with  cavalry  lariats,  spent  that 
long  winter's  night  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  Boyn- 
ton's  men,  while  the  prairie  without  was  dotted  with 
braves  and  ponies,  dropped  by  their  cool,  relentless 
aim.  Red  Dog  at  last  had  had  his  day. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

THE  blizzard  that  swept  down  on  the  broad  valley 
of  the  Platte  the  night  of  the  hop,— the  night  Da- 
vies  marched  away, — though  severe,  had  been  of  short 
duration.  A  warm  wind  and  a  strong  wind  from  the 
Arkansas  met  and  overthrew  it,  and  pursued  its  de 
cisive  victory  to  the  Dakota  line.  The  snow  was 
"  slumping,"  said  the  little  Leonards,  when  Messrs. 
Burtis  and  Willett  drove  out  from  Braska  Friday 
afternoon  and  took  Mrs.  Davies  and  Mrs.  Darling 
sleighing  up  the  valley.  It  was  freezing,  of  course, 
again  by  sundown,  but  judging  from  Mira's  glowing 
cheeks  the  drive  in  the  exhilarating  air  had  done  her  a 
deal  of  good,  and  she  sat  with  Willett,  while  Mrs. 
Darling  faced  the  breeze  at  the  side  of  his  accomplished 
associate.  Many  women  watched  the  start  and  some 
saw  the  finish,  and  none  with  more  interest  than  Mrs. 
M  23 


266  UNDER   FIRE 

Flight,  who  had  never  before  been  left  on  such  occa 
sions,  nor  with  more  distress  than  Mrs.  Cranston,  who 
knew  not  what  to  say.  The  party  dined  at  the  Dar 
lings'  quarters  that  evening,  and  later  some  of  the 
boys  came  to  Leonard  and  asked  if  it  wouldn't  be 
possible  to  have  a  few  of  the  band  in  the  hop-room. 
They  wanted  to  dance  and  Darling's  house  was  too 
small.  Leonard  said  they  knew  the  colonel's  decision, 
— the  bandsmen  were  expected  to  play  once  a  week  as 
late  as  any  one  cared  to  dance  in  consideration  of  cer 
tain  small  extra  pay.  If  they  played  at  any  other 
time,  they  had  a  right  to  expect  compensation.  He 
would  not  order  them  out.  Messrs.  Sanders  and  Dot 
and  Jervis  could  go  and  see  the  leader  and  arrange 
with  him  as  to  terms  and  men,  if  they  chose,  and  have 
their  dance.  It  wasn't  what  the  boys  expected  •  more 
over,  it  was  late,  but  they  were  young,  energetic,  and 
enthusiastic.  Three  musicians  were  found  and  a  dozen 
couples,  and  long  after  midnight  the  lights  and  laughter 
and  merry  strains  of  music  told  that  the  younger 
element  of  Scott  was  enjoying  itself  irrespective  of 
anything  that  might  be  going  on  at  the  almost  forgotten 
agency.  The  chaplain  and  his  wife,  going  earlier  in 
the  evening  to  call  and  cheer  Almira,  were  met  by 
Katty  at  the  door  and  the  information  that  "  the  mis- 
thress  was  diniu'  at  Mrs.  Darlin's."  Katty  was  short 
with  her  visitors  for  two  reasons.  She  didn't  approve 
of  the  dominie,  as  he  was  not  of  the  faith  of  her  Irish 
fathers,  and  she  did  approve  of  Corporal  Lenihau,  who 
had  come  to  spend  the  evening.  When,  therefore,  the 
worthy  couple  announced  that  they  would  return  later 
after  making  other  calls  in  order  to  see  if  there  were 


UNDER  FIRE.  267 

not  something  they  could  do  for  Mrs.  Davies,  who 
must  be  dreadfully  sad,  Katty  replied,  "  'Deed  and  they 
needn't  worry,  for  it's  more'n  she  did."  The  stern 
discipline  of  the  post  took  Lenihan  off  to  his  troop  at 
tattoo,  but  Katty  lacked  not  for  company.  "  It  wasn't 
becoming,"  said  her  mother,  "  that  she  should  be  left  to 
herself  at  the  dead  of  night  with  no  one  but  that  lout 
Barnickel  to  look  after  her."  So  she  came  up  from 
Sudsville  at  taps  to  discuss  Mrs.  Davies's  tea  and  pre 
serves  and,  incidentally,  her  character  with  her  bloom 
ing  daughter,  and  Barnickel  was  sociably  disposed,  and 
the  kitchen  congress  was  in  animated  session  when  at 
11.30  P.M.  there  came  a  sharp  ring  at  the  bell. 

"  Bless  us !  I  didn't  suppose  they'd  be  home  till 
long  after  midnight,"  said  Katty,  as  she  scurried  away. 
It  wasn't  the  misthress,  however;  only  Mrs.  Darling's 
maid,  to  say  that  Mrs.  Davies  would  not  come  home ; 
she  would  spend  the  night  at  Mrs.  Darling's,  and  Letty 
had  come  for  her  things.  This  necessitated  Mrs. 
Maloney's  remaining  all  night  to  further  look  after 
Katty,  and  what  more  natural  than  that  they  should 
light  Mrs.  Davies's  lamp  and  spend  a  blissful  hour  in 
her  simply  furnished  but  pretty  room,  looking  over 
the  new  gowns  and  garments  and  jimcracks,  and  so 
absorbed  were  they  in  this  occupation  that  they  took 
ho  heed  of  time ;  and  so  it  happened  that  the  good  old 
chaplain,  coming  shortly  after  midnight  over  from  the 
hospital,  whither  he  had  been  summoned  to  the  bedside 
of  a  sorely-stricken  trooper,  rejoiced  to  see  that  Mrs. 
Davies,  at  least,  had  not  gone  to  the  dance,  but  was 
keeping  wifely  vigil  in  the  sanctity  of  her  own  room, 
praying,  probably,  for  the  safety  of  the  loved  young 


268  UNDER  FIRE. 

husband  now  on  perilous  duty  eighty  miles  away.  At 
the  corner,  at  the  end  of  the  long  row  of  quarters,  a 
solitary  figure  was  standing.  The  chaplain  recognized 
the  beaver  overcoat  in  the  soft  moonlight  and  the 
soldierly  face  under  the  forage-cap. 

"  Ah,  Cranston  !  Officer-of-the-day,  I  see.  Just 
going  the  rounds?" 

"I  was, — yes, — but  I  saw  you  coming,  so  waited. 
How's  Hooker?" 

"  Very  low,  poor  fellow  !  Typhoid  has  him  in  tight 
grip.  He's  flighty  to-night.  He  thinks  he's  back  on 
the  summer  campaign  again,  and  his  talk  is  all  of  the 
Antelope  Springs  affair.  Odd !  this  makes  the  third 
man  to  come  back  from  Boynton's  party,  two  with 
typhoid  fever  and  one  with  the  mail-carrier  and  a 
bottle, — Brannan  I  mean, — and  they  all  talk  about 
that.  From  what  I  have  gathered  it  would  seem  that 
Devers  blamed  Mr.  Davies  for  the  whole  tragedy,  but 
the  men,  when  their  tongues  are  loosened  by  fever  or 
rum,  lay  loads  of  blame  elsewhere." 

"  Yes  ?"  said  Cranston,  with  deep  interest,  yet  re 
luctant  to  talk  of  regimental  scandal  with  an  outsider. 
"  I  should  like  to  know  what  they  say." 

"  Well,  they  say  McGrath  could  tell  a  tale  if  he 
were  alive,  and  that  Lutz  and  the  men  at  the  agency 
believe  they  were  shoved  up  there  because  they  had 
said  things  which  First  Sergeant  Haney  overheard  and 
reported  to  the  captain.  It  seemed  queer,  even  to  me, 
so  many  men  going  from  Devers's  troop  under  com 
mand  of  somebody  else's  lieutenant,  and  now  Davies 
himself  has  gone,  and  suppose  he  should  hear  of  this 
talk?" 


UNDER  FIRE.  269 

"  He  will  know  what  to  do,  chaplain.  Davies  has 
earnest  friends  who  will  not  see  him  further  wronged, 
but  just  now,  as  you  probably  understand,  nothing  can 
be  done.  Now  excuse  me  a  moment.  I  may  have 
been  mistaken,  but  I  thought  I  saw  a  man's  figure 
hanging  about  the  back  gate  of  Number  Twelve  as  I 
came  up  the  bluff  from  the  wood-yard.  I  thought  he 
went  through  Davies's  yard  and  that  I'd  see  him  cross 
ing  the  parade  when  I  got  to  the  corner,  but  not  a  soul 
was  in  sight  and  it  is  almost  as  light  as  the  day.  If 
he  didn't  go  through  he  must  be  in  the  shadows  there 
of  the  wood-shed.  There's  been  some  prowling,  and 
though  this  isn't  the  sort  of  night  for  that  sort  of 
thing,  it's  still  possible.  Will  you  kindly  wait  here 
and  watch  the  front  and  this  side  while  I  beat  up  the 
rear?" 

Wonderingly  the  chaplain  assented,  and,  with  his 
sabre  clanking  at  his  side,  Cranston  strode  away  north 
ward  along  the  line  of  white  picket-fence  until  he 
came  to  the  high  rear  barrier  of  the  row,  one  of  black 
unplaned  boards,  and  around  behind  that  he  disap 
peared.  Across  the  intervening  yard  and  through  the 
open  gate- way  at  the  back  the  chaplain  could  see  a  patch 
of  the  snow-clad  valley,  and  watched  for  the  appear 
ance  of  Cranston's  sturdy  form  in  that  silvery  gap. 

But  another  eye  had  also  been  alert.  The  very  in 
stant  the  figure  of  the  officer-of-the-day  disappeared 
from  view  behind  the  high  back  fence,  out  from  the 
shadows  of  the  shed  there  sprang  a  lithe,  slender  form, 
clad  in  soldier  overcoat,  and,  in  less  time  than  it  takes 
to  tell  it,  around  it  darted  behind  the  shed,  was  one 
instant  poised  at  the  top  of  the  fence  that  separated  the 

23* 


270  UNDER  FIRE. 

yard  of  Davies's  quarters  from  that  of  their  next-door 
neighbor,  then  noiselessly  dropped  out  of  sight  on  the 
other  side.  The  next  minute  Cranston  appeared  in 
the  gap. 

Instead  of  shouting,  fearful  of  disturbing  the  in 
mates,  the  chaplain  quit  his  post,  hastened  along  the 
front  to  Davies's  gate  and  around  the  house  to  the  rear, 
where  he  found  Cranston  searching. 

"  There  was  a  man.  I  saw  him.  He  leaped  the 
fence  into  the  next  yard.  A  tall,  slender  fellow." 

But  search  in  there  and  in  its  fellows  revealed  nothing. 
The  prowler  had  had  time  to  skip  from  yard  to  yard, 
and  nothing  short  of  the  services  of  the  entire  guard 
would  be  apt  to  result  in  his  capture. 

"I  wish  you  had  shouted  to  me.  I  could  have 
grabbed  him  in  Hay's  yard,"  said  Cranston. 

"  Well,  I  didn't  like  to  for  fear  of  startling  Mrs. 
Davies,"  said  the  chaplain,  simply,  and  Cranston 
glanced  quickly  and  queerly  up  at  him  from  under  the 
visor  of  the  little  cavalry  cap. 

uWhy,  she "  he  began,  then  checked  himself 

abruptly. 

"  Could  you  give  no  description  of  him  ?  Did  he 
leave  no  trace?"  asked  Captain  Devers  at  the  office 
next  morning  when  the  old  officer-of-the-day  made 
his  report. 

"No,  sir,  but  the  chaplain  might.  He  saw  him 
plainly, — said  he  was  tall  and  slender." 

And  Captain  Devers  replied, — 

"  Very  good,  sir.  You're  relieved,"  and  then  turned 
to  the  new  incumbent,  Captain  Rogers,  of  the  infantry  : 
"I  wish  especial  attention  given  to  this  matter,  Captain 


UNDER  FIRE.  271 

Rogers,  and  probably  I  shall  take  a  turn  with  you 
to-night  after  twelve." 

But  that  night  long  after  twelve  the  whole  post  took 
a  turn.  It  was  towards  four  A.M.  when  the  telegraph 
operator,  who  slept  always  beside  his  instrument,  came 
bauging  at  the  door  of  "  A"  Troop's  office.  It  was 
opened  by  an  indignant  Irish  sergeant.  "  Go  rout  out 
the  captain  at  once.  You  know  how  to  rouse  him  and 
I  don't.  There's  hell  to  pay  and  the  whole  crowd 
wanted."  And  Haney,  who  would  have  damned  his 
impudence  another  time,  donned  his  clothes  without  an 
instant's  delay,  and  together  they  ran  across  the  parade 
and  brought  up  with  a  bang  at  Devers's  storm-door. 

Agatha  Loomis|was  probably  a  light  sleeper.  It  was 
her  tap  at  the  Cranstons'  room  that  first  roused  them. 

"What  is  it?"  cried  Margaret,  up  in  an  instant  and 
filled  with  no  other  apprehension  than  that  of  more 
sore  throat  or  cough  in  the  nursery. 

"There's  some  excitement  and  running  about  the 
post.  The  office  is  lighted  and  people  are  hurrying 
over  there." 

Cranston  looked  at  his  watch, — 4.15.  Peering  out 
of  the  dormer-window  at  the  front,  he  could  see  dark 
forms  scurrying  across  the  parade  and  lights  beginning 
to  pop  up  here  and  there  and  everywhere  along  the 
row  of  barracks.  Hurriedly  donning  his  stable  dress 
and  furs,  he  went  down  to  the  hall-way,  Margaret, 
pale  and  silent  now,  following.  A  man  was  knocking 
at  the  door  of  the  adjoining  quarters,  and  Cranston 
recognized  the  form  of  Lieutenant  Jervis.  "  What's 
up  ?"  he  queried. 

"  Big  row  at  the  agency,"  came  the  murmured  reply. 


272  UNDER  FIRE. 

"  Reckon  most  everybody  will  have  to  go."  And 
though  he  spoke  in  low,  guarded  tone,  Margaret  heard, 
and  then  clung  to  her  husband's  arm. 

" Again!  so  soon?"  she  cried.  "Oh,  God!  Arc 
we  never  to  know  one-half  year  of  peace  ?" 

Cranston  led  her  into  the  warm  little  parlor  and 
took  her  in  his  arms.  "  I  must  go  to  head-quarters  at 
once,"  he  whispered.  "  Doubtless  I  should  have  been 
there  before;  but  don't  borrow  trouble,  Meg,  dear, 
wait  until  I  know  what's  to  be  done."  Then  he  left 
her  with  Agatha  and  went  his  way. 

The  office  was  crowded.  Devers  sat  in  the  colonel's 
chair  pencilling  despatches  to  be  sent  to  department 
head-quarters.  Around  him,  sitting  or  standing,  were 
most  of  the  officers  of  the  garrison,  either  silently  re 
garding  him  or  chatting  in  low  tone.  All  that  was 
known  was  that  Sam  Poole,  one  of  the  best  and  most 
daring  scouts  employed  at  the  agency,  had  ridden  into 
Braska  about  three  o'clock,  his  horse  nearly  spent,  with 
the  news  that  the  whole  gang  of  Sioux  had  risen  in 
revolt  and  attacked  the  agent.  He  left  at  8.15  Friday 
night  with  McPhail's  plea  for  instant  help  and  all  they 
could  send  of  it,  but  so  deep  were  the  drifts  in  places 
and  so  exhausted  was  his  horse  that  it  had  taken  him 
all  that  time  to  reach  the  railway.  The  wire  was  still 
down  and  he  bore  the  latest  news.  There  could  be  no 
mistake :  the  attack  had  fairly  begun  before  he  was 
out  of  hearing.  The  volleying  and  yelling  beat  any 
thing  he'd  heard  since  the  battle  at  Slim  Buttes  in 
September.  The  quartermaster  in  charge  of  the  depot 
at  Braska  had  despatches  wired  at  once  to  Omaha  and 
another  out  to  the  fort.  Devers  was  up  in  a  few  min- 


UNDER  FIRE.  273 

utrs  and  had  sent  his  orderly  for  certain  of  the  officers, 
and  the  noise  of  ringing  or  knocking  along  the  row 
had  roused  others.  Cranston  and  Hay  were  not  of 
those  sent  for,  but  Devers  explained  that  he  took  it  for 
granted  they  were  prepared  to  take  the  field  with  their 
troops  at  a  moment's  notice,  and  did  not  care  to  disturb 
them  until  he  knew  what  they  would  be  required  to 
do.  It  would  be  several  hours  before  orders  could 
reach  them  from  Omaha,  he  reasoned,  and  he  had  no 
idea  what  the  orders  would  be.  The  whole  command 
might  be  sent,  or  none  of  it.  Meantime  vigorous 
preparations  were  going  on  in  the  store-rooms  and 
kitchens  along  the  barrack  row,  "  A"  Troop's  activity 
being  conspicuous.  But  without  waiting  for  orders 
from  their  captains,  the  veteran  first  sergeants  of  the 
other  troops  were  getting  everything  in  readiness,  and 
when  Hay  and  Cranston  walked  over  to  the  barracks 
to  see  how  far  preparations  were  advanced,  each  had 
an  approving  word  for  his  faithful  aide. 

But  Omaha  was  wider  awake  than  Devers  supposed. 
The  Gray  Fox  was  in  possession  of  the  news  almost 
as  soon  as  the  post  commanders,  and  he  and  his  adju 
tant-general  were  at  the  telegraph -office  within  half  an 
hour.  "  I  will  go  by  first  train,"  said  he.  "  Mean 
time  we  must  start  a  big  force." 

And  so  before  the  reveille  bugles  were  singing 
through  the  wintry  morning  along  the  slopes  of  the 
Rockies,  the  telegraph  had  roused  the  officers  at  all  the 
posts  along  the  railway  for  five  hundred  miles.  Rus 
sell,  Sanders,  and  Sidney  were  up  and  astir  with  prep 
aration.  Special  trains  were  ordered  to  meet  and  con 
vey  their  detachments  of  horse,  foot,  and  pack-trains, 


274  UNDER  FIRE. 

so  that  a  big  command  might  concentrate  at  once  at 
Sidney  and  march  thence,  'cross  country,  to  the  Ogal- 
lalla  Agency,  Colonel  Winthrop  at  their  head.  The 
commanding  officer  of  Fort  Scott  was  directed  to  start 
three  troops  of  cavalry  and  two  companies  of  infantry 
at  once,  with  instructions  to  join  Colonel  Winthrop's 
column  at  the  Niobrara  crossing,  and,  his  own  troop 
being  now  the  smallest  at  the  post,  owing  to  these 
details  at  the  agency,  Devers  very  properly  decided  on 
sending  everybody  else's.  Truman,  Hay,  and  Crans 
ton  of  the  Eleventh  and  Pollock  and  Muncey  of  the 
Fortieth  were  the  captains  ordered  to  march  forthwith. 
Before  eight  o'clock  on  Sunday  morning  the  little 
column  had  swung  sturdily  away  over  the  prairies, 
and  Captain  Devers,  with  his  own  attenuated  troop 
and  two  companies  of  "  doughboys,"  remained  to 
guard  the  post  and  its  supplies,  and  take  care  of  the 
invalid  colonel  and  the  wives  and  children  of  the 
soldiers  so  summarily  ordered  into  the  field. 

And  now  Almira  could  not  lack  sympathizers,  for 
both  Mrs.  Flight  and  Mrs.  Darling  had  been  called 

c5  o 

upon  to  say  adieu  to  their  respective  lords,  who  marched 
with  their  sturdy  comrades  in  the  wake  of  the  cavalry, 
guarding  the  few  wagons  which  had  to  be  taken ;  but 
these  gentlemen  belonged  to  a  famous  regiment  that 
had  known  no  other  history  since  the  day  of  its  organ 
ization  than  that  of  constant  active  service.  The  For 
tieth  was  forever  in  the  field, — its  wives  "perennially 
grass-widowed,"  said  the  garrison  wits, — its  children  so 
seldom  blessed  with  the  sight  of  the  paternal  face 
as  to  be  preternaturally  wise  in  picking  out  their 
own  fathers.  The  Fortieth  went  as  a  matter  of  course. 


UNDER   FIRE.  275 

The  two  companies  remaining  behind  looked  upon  that 
as  a  mere  accident  that  time  would  surely  rectify. 
The  two  that  went  made  the  customary  appeal  to  the 
post  commander  for  the  release  of  certain  untried  and 
unpunished  of  their  weaker  members  who  happened 
to  be  at  the  moment  languishing  in  the  guard-house, 
and  the  plea  prevailed.  Hearing  this,  the  chaplain, 
backed  by  Dr.  Burroughs,  came  to  the  office  with 
another  plea.  There  was  the  young  man  Brannan 
confined  in  the  guard-house  since  Wednesday  morning 
last,  he  knew  not  on  what  charges  and  begged  to  be 
released  from  durance  so  utterly  vile  and  permitted  to 
go  with  the  command  to  the  rescue  of  his  comrades  at 
the  agency, — what  there  might  be  left  of  them. 

But  Devers  replied  that  Brannan's  troop  was  not 
going.  Furthermore,  he  intended  to  have  Brannan 
brought  before  a  garrison  court  on  the  morrow.  This 
was  the  sorrowful  message  the  chaplain  carried,  and 
Branuan  wrung  his  hands.  "  I  have  violated  no  regu 
lation,  missed  no  roll-call,  been  drunk  on  no  duty.  I 
did  drink  when  half  frozen  on  that  hard  ride  from  the 
agency  to  the  post.  I  drank  after  I  got  here,  but 
drank  no  more  and  behaved  no  worse  than  half  a 
dozen  others  of  the  troop  who  were  with  me  at  the 
store,  and  some  of  whom  drank  more,  got  drunk  and 
were  allowed  to  sleep  it  off  in  quarters  and  nothing 
said  about  it.  Why  am  I  singled  out  for  punishment  ? 
Why  is  Paine — who  went  to  town  and  had  to  be 
brought  back  by  a  patrol — why  is  he  released  and 
allowed  to  go  as  wagoner,  while  I  am  forbidden  to  go 
at  all?  There's  surely  something  behind  all  this, 
chaplain." 


276  UNDER  FIRE, 

And  the  dominie  didn't  say  so  to  the  man,  but 
thought  so  to  himself.  He  was  still  talking  with  the 
prisoner  when  the  sergeant  of  the  guard  came  and  said 
he  was  sorry,  but  orders  had  just  come  for  Brannan  to 
be  sent  to  the  quartermaster's  corral  at  once  to  help 
load  wagons,  and  the  young  fellow,  with  tears  in  his 
eyes,  was  led  mutely  away.  Cranston  happened  to 
ride  by  the  corral  ten  minutes  later  and  caught  sight 
of  the  pale,  fine-featured  face,  whose -eyes  looked  up  at 
him  wistfully,  imploringly. 

"  Why,  Brannan,"  said  he,  "  I  had  hoped  to  hear  of 
your  release  by  this  time.  We  inarch  in  less  than  an 
hour,  and  I  fear  nothing  I  can  say  to  Captain  Devers 
will  be  apt  to  help  you,  but  try  to  keep  up  good  heart. 
Say  nothing  about  this  confinement  to  your  mother 
when  you  write,  and  I'll  ask  Mr.  Leonard  to  look  out 
for  you.  He'll  see  that  no  great  harm  comes." 

"It  seems  as  if  everything  had  gone  against  me, 
sir,"  said  the  boy,  with  quivering  lips  "  I  don't 
know  why  I  can't  get  justice  in  this  troop.  If  Captain 
Devers  thinks  me  so  bad  a  soldier,  why  don't  he  let 
me  transfer?  I've  asked  twice,  and  he  refuses.  It's 
my  belief  he's  trying  to  drive  me  to  desert  so  as  to  get 
me  out  of  the  way — or  destroy  my  character." 

"  Hush,  Brannan.  You  know  that  you  ought  not 
to  talk  to  me  in  that  way.  There's  no  time  for  words. 
I'll  ask  Mr.  Hay  to  keep  special  lookout  for  you.  I 
know  the  general  will  overtake  us  to-morrow,  and 
quick  as  possible  I'll  have  a  word  with  him.  Now, 
good-by,  lad.  Stand  to  your  guns  a  little  longer  and 
you're  all  right." 

I'll  try,  sir,  if  you'll  give  my — give  my  respects  to 


UNDER  FIRE.  277 

Mr.  Davies,  and  say  to  Miss  Loomis — God  bless  her." 
And  with  a  choke  in  his  voice  the  youug  soldier  turned 
suddenly  away,  dashing  his  sleeve  over  his  eyes. 

"Get  to  work  there,  you,  Braunan,"  growled  Ser 
geant  Haney  before  Cranston  was  out  of  hearing. 
"  No  more  palavering  with  officers  out  of  your  own 
troop  this  day  unless  you  want  double  trouble  in  it, 
— and  be  damned  to  you/'  he  added,  in  low  and 
cautious  tone,  his  eyes  furtively  following  the  cap 
tain,  now  twenty  yards  away.  And  Cranston  was 
riding  home  to  don  his  winter  field  rig  and  to  a 
parting  that  he  dreaded  beyond  all  description,  for 
now,  more  than  for  many  a  long  year,  had  Margaret 
need  of  all  her  husband's  love  and  encouragement 
and  devotion. 

Sunday  noon  the  detachment  from  Scott  was  across 
the  railway  and  first  on  march  to  the  beleaguered 
agency,  Sunday  night  they  camped  in  the  breaks  of 
the  big  divide,  some  fifteen  miles  north  of  Braska,  and 
still  no  tidings  came  from  beyond  the  Niobrara.  Re 
storing  the  telegraph  line  as  they  went,  digging  it  out 
from  under  the  snow,  the  infantry  trudged  along  all 
day  Monday,  following  the  trail  of  their  mounted 
comrades  who  left  them  at  dawn,  and  early  Monday 
morning  an  ambulance  drawn  by  six  spanking  big 
brown  mules  whipped  by  them  along  the  road,  and 
the  kindly  twinkling  eyes  of  their  old  friend  and  fellow- 
campaigner,  the  general,  peered  out  at  them.  Away 
he  went  to  overtake  the  foremost  riders,  with  just 
brief  word  or  two  and  cordial  grasp  of  the  hand  to 
the  few  officers  who  hastened  alongside.  Without 
guard  or  escort,  with  only  a  single  aide-de-camp,  with 

24 


278  UNDER  FIRE. 

his  life  in  his  hands  as  usual,  the  Gray  Fox  was  head 
ing  straight  for  the  scene  of  danger.  "  Heard  any 
thing  at  all?"  he  asked. 

"Not  a  thing."  Who  could  tell  whether  man  or 
woman  was  left  to  forward  word  of  any  kind? 

Monday  night  the  cavalry  reached  the  snow-covered 
banks  of  the  Niobrara,  and  went  into  bivouac  on  the 
northern  shore  to  await  the  coming  of  the  black  speck 
that,  just  before  dusk,  could  be  seen  far  in  their  wake 
picking  a  way  through  the  drifts  in  its  descent  from 
the  crest  of  the  divide.  "  It's  the  general,  of  course," 
said  everybody,  and  the  general  it  was. 

"  Anybody  come  ahead  yet  from  Winthrop  ?"  was 
his  first  question.  No !  The  Sidney  road  was  cov 
ered  in  places  by  drifts  that  had  lain  unbroken  ever 
since  the  storm.  "  Any  news  from  the  agency  ?" 

Not  a  word,  and  it  lay  now  barely  a  dozen  miles 
away.  Tuesday  morning,  too  impatient  to  wait  for 
coming  reinforcements,  and  confident  he  could  hold  his 
own  with  the  little  force  at  hand,  the  Gray  Fox  pushed 
ahead.  All  were  up  and  off  at  the  break  of  the  wintry 
day,  and  at  eight  o'clock  had  neared  the  top  of  the 
divide  between  the  shallow,  placid  Niobrara  and  the 
swift  Chasing  Water  beyond.  Little  Sanders,  trotting 
far  in  the  advance  with  three  or  four  light  riders,  threw 
himself  from  his  horse,  unslung  his  field-glass,  and 
peered  long  and  anxiously  into  the  northward  valley. 
All  seemed  desolate  and  deserted.  A  smoke  was  drift 
ing  lazily  upward  from  the  site  of  the  distant  agency; 
not  from  peaceful  chimney,  but  rising  from  a  mass  of 
smouldering  ruins.  The  villages  of  Red  Dog,  Kills 
Asleep,  Little  Big  Man,  even  of  Two  Lance,  had  dis- 


UXDER  FIRE.  279 

appeared,  and  of  the  Ogallalla  Agency  not  another 
vestige  could  be  seeii  but  the  grim  outlines  of  the 
stockade. 


CHAPTER    XX. 

WHEN  Sanders,  with  solemn  face,  turned  to  meet 
the  general  and  report  his  discovery,  the  difference  be 
tween  the  young  and  the  old  campaigner  was  told  in 
their  own  words. 

"  I'm  afraid  we're  too  late  to  save  'em,  sir.  Every 
thing's  wiped  out  but  the  stockade." 

"If  the  stockade's  left,  they've  saved  themselves," 
was  the  answer,  and  the  Gray  Fox  was  right.  Long 
before  the  column  reached  the  lowlands  of  the  valley 
horsemen  could  be  seen  spurring  eagerly  forward  to 
meet  it,  and  the  first-comer  was  Trooper  O'Brien,  who 
saluted  the  general  with  all  soldierly  grace  and  the  rest 
of  the  array  with  a  sociable  grin. 

"  We're  all  right,  general, — leastwise  most  of  us  is. 
Two  of  the  boys  is  killed,  and  Loot'n't  Boynton's 
wounded, — and  four  others, — but  the  women's  all 
safe,  and  the  agent — bad  scran  to  him  !  Is  there  a 
doctor  along  ?"  A  doctor  was  along, — Burroughs, — 
riding  with  the  senior  captain  commanding  the  bat 
talion,  and  Burroughs  was  hurried  forward  with  San 
ders  and  a  squad  of  men,  while  O'Brien,  proud  of  his 
prominence,  rode  by  the  general's  side  and  told  the 
story  of  the  sharp  and  sudden  fight. 

"They  came  down  on   us  like  a  crowd  of  grass- 


280  UNDER  FIRE. 

hoppers  so  soon  as  it  was  light  enough  to  see  anything, 
but  they  couldn't  get  near  us  without  our  bowling 
over  bucks  and  ponies.  The  prairie's  dotted  with  the 
corpses  of  the  poor  beggars,  sir, — the  ponies,  that  is ; 
they  never  left  an  Indian.  We  stood  'em  off  first  rate. 
Loot'nant  Boynton  and  Loot'nant  Davies  was  every 
where  at  once,  and  after  trying  two  dashes  the  Indians 
gave  it  up  and  kept  at  long  range.  They  was  a  thou 
sand  strong  at  least,  and  Elk  came  in  with  a  white  flag 
for  a  parley,  and  Mr.  Boynton  ordered  him  back,  but 
McPhail  let  him  in.  He  said  we  must  give  up  Red 
Dog  or  they'd  burn  the  agency  over  our  heads  and 
massacre  every  man,  and  McPhail  was  for  letting  him 
go  then,  but  Mr.  Boynton  and  he  had  words  over  it, 
and  they  kept  him.  That  night  was  cloudy  and  the 
moon  was  hid,  and  sure  enough  at  ten  o'clock  they 
crawled  in  on  the  store-house  side  and  heaped  up  tim 
ber  under  them  flimsy  pine  boards,  and  no  one  could 
see  them  on  that  side  until  everything  was  in  a  broad 
blaze.  It  was  when  trying  to  bucket  out  the  fire  the 
lieutenant  was  shot,  and  it  was  a  roaring  conflagration 
in  five  minutes,  and  from  that  it  spread  to  the  agency 
and  the  other  shebangs,  and  it  was  all  we  could  do 
to  get  the  women  and  children  out  of  the  cellars  and 
into  the  corral,  and  them  bucks  firing  from  every  sage 
brush  for  a  mile  around.  The  whole  thing-  was  down 

O 

by  midnight,  but  it  didn't  do  them  no  good :  we  was 
really  better  off  with  less  to  take  care  of  and  more  men 
to  do  it  with,  and  we  had  wather  in  the  well  and  rations 
for  all  hands,  and  the  agent  and  his  non-combatants 
under  cover  in  one  corner  of  the  stockade,  and  Red 
Dog  tied  up  in  another.  All  Sunday  they  kept  up  a 


UNDER  FIRE.  281 

long-range  fire,  and  five  or  six  times  made  as  though 
they  was  going  to  charge,  but  Loot'nant  Davies  was 
on  all  four  sides  of  that  square  from  dawn  till  dark, 
sir,  and  they  never  got  within  four  hundred  yards  that 
we  didn't  drop  them.  Sure  it  was  just  pie,  general. 
The  only  trouble  was,  could  they  set  fire  to  the  stoekade 
at  night?  The  loot'nant  had  buckets  of  water  all 
around  inside,  and  every  little  while  a  patrol  ran  round 
on  the  outside,  and  half  the  fellows  kept  watch  at  the 
loop-holes  while  the  others  slept,  and  Mr.  Davies  had 
the  office  side  of  the  stockade  battened  up  with  old 
wagons  and  boxes  and  things  to  fill  the  gap.  Faith, 
sir,  he  never  seemed  to  close  an  eye  night  or  day  until 
this  blessed  morning,  when  the  valley  was  clear  of  In 
dians  and  we  knew  it  meant  that  the  general  was 
coming."  And  as  O'Brien  told  his  tale  to  attentive 
ears,  others  of  the  little  garrison,  lately  beleaguered, 
joined  the  battalion,  still  steadily  in  march,  and  found 
eager  auditors  everywhere  along  the  jogging  column. 
Every  one  sorrowed  at  hearing  of  Boynton's  serious 
wound,  for  he  was  a  soldierly,  faithful  fellow,  albeit  a 
trifle  blunt  and  unsociable,  but  as  man  after  man  spoke 
in  lavish  praise  of  Davies,  of  his  plucky  grapple  with 
the  most  redoubtable  chief  in  the  rebellious  tribes,  of 
his  calm,  cool  vigilance  and  skill  in  the  conduct  of  the 
defence  after  the  command  devolved  upon  him,  Crans 
ton's  eyes  sparkled,  and  Hay  and  Truman  joined  in  the 
chorus  of  congratulation. 

When  at  last  the  battalion  unsaddled  at  the  stream 
and  the  officers  pressed  into  the  stockade  to  shake 
hands  with  the  defenders,  they  found  Boyuton  and  the 
wounded  feebly  rejoicing  in  Burroughs's  hands  and 

24* 


282  UNDER  FIRE. 

Davies  tucked  away  in  a  corner  under  an  old  wagon, 
rolled  in  agency  blankets,  sleeping  the  dreamless  sleep 
of  a  tired  child. 

"  Don't  disturb  him  for  anything,"  said  the  general, 
with  moistened  eyes.  "  They  tell  me  he  hasn't  had  an 
hour's  rest  since  Friday.  He's  behaved  like  a  trump." 

That  night  our  old  friend  Tintop  came  trotting  in 
at  the  head  of  eight  strong  troops  of  horse,  some  of 
his  own,  others  of  the  — th  Cavalry.  Behind  them, 
with  the  wagons,  came  the  infantry,  supplementing  the 
little  detachment  of  the  Fortieth  already  on  the  ground, 
— the  sturdy  trampers  from  Fort  Scott.  Next  day  the 
agent  and  his  household,  with  the  other  women  and 
children,  were  bustled  off  to  Braska  until  new  quarters 
should  be  built  for  them,  and  his  red  wards  be  rounded 
up,  run  down,  and  returned  to  the  arms  of  Uncle  Sam 
by  their  natural  oppressors,  the  cavalry.  Sending  Red 
Dog  in  irons  and  Boynton  and  the  wounded  back  to 
Scott  by  easy  stages,  leaving  four  companies  of  the 
Fortieth  to  build  cantonments  for  themselves  and  their 
comrades,  the  Gray  Fox  took  the  field  with  the  residue 
of  his  force  and  set  forth  upon  a  winter  campaign  in 
search  of  the  now  scattered  and  despondent  Indians. 
The  oratory  of  Red  Dog  had  borne  its  fruit.  Four 
truculent  bands  had  joined  in  the  outbreak  at  the 
agency  and  lost  their  leader,  half  a  score  of  mad- 
brained  young  warriors,  scores  of  their  best  war  ponies, 
but,  what  was  of  most  consequence,  had  burned  up  the 
whole  store  of  agency  provisions  and,  with  their  squaws 
and  children,  were  now  lurking  among  the  trackless 
Bad  Lands  to  the  north,  outcasts  upon  the  face  of  the 
frozen  earth. 


UNDER  FIRE.  283 

The  only  Indians  whose  condition  was  not  made 
materially  worse  as  a  result  of  this  ebullition  were 
the  Brule  band  of  Two  Lance,  who  had  taken  advan 
tage  of  the  general  confusion  to  slip  away  to  their  old 
head  chief  Sintogalisca.  He  might  not  be  able  to  feed 
or  clothe  them,  and  the  agent  at  Sheridan  might  say  he 
had  no  authority  to  help,  but  they  would  at  least  be 
getting  as  much  comfort  as  was  accorded  them  at 
Ogallalla,  and  less  abuse. 

And  then,  while  the  soldiers  were  stalking  the  rene 
gades,  the  commissioner  of  Indian  affairs  sent  out  to 
stalk  the  soldiers.  Investigation  as  to  the  cause  of  this 
inexplicable  outbreak  was  demanded.  Those  very 
chiefs  had  left  the  capital  in  unbounded  good  humor 
not  two  months  before,  and  who  was  responsible  for 
this  sudden  and  baleful  change  of  heart  ?  It  was  a 
matter  soon  and  easily  settled.  In  the  absence  of  mili 
tary  testimony  to  the  contrary  and  the  presence  of  so 
unanimous  a  party  as  the  agent  and  his  assistants,  the 
fault  was  laid  on  the  broad  shoulders  of  the  troopers. 
Devers  rode  over  from  Scott  to  Braska  to  hear  the 
evidence,  Boyuton  being  still  in  surgical  bandage  and 
bondage,  and  without  committing  himself  to  anything 
absolutely  derogatory  to  Messrs.  Boynton  and  Davies, 
was  certainly  understood  to  raise  no  dissenting  voice  to 
the  often  expressed  theory  that  but  for  the  impetuosity 
and  interference  of  those  two  officers  the  whole  trouble 
could  have  been  amicably  settled  by  the  authorities  of 
the  Indian  bureau.  And  with  this  most  satisfactory 
conclusion  the  commissioner  returned  to  Washington. 
Red  Dog  was  ordered  released  and  restored  to  the 
bosom  of  his  family,  and  when  the  general  had  finally 


284  UNDER  FIRE. 

succeeded  in  bringing  in  the  scattered  starvelings  and 
the  cavalry  reappeared  at  the  site  of  the  agency,  the 
first  thing  whispered  to  Davies  was,  "  Be  on  your  guard 
every  moment.  Look  out  for  Red  Dog !" 

The  general  never  swore.  He  was  in  this  respect 
the  mate  of  Grant,  his  old-time  friend  and  regimental 
comrade,  but  he  could  "  look  swear  words  by  the  gal 
lon,"  said  the  adjutant  of  the  Eleventh,  whose  own  chief 
was  in  no  wise  tongue-tied.  It  fell  to  the  lot  of  Mr. 
Gray,  sent  forward  from  the  Bad  Lands  to  announce 
the  coming  of  the  field  column  with  all  its  humbled 
captives,  to  be  the  first  on  returning  to  announce  to  the 
Gray  Fox  that  Red  Dog  had  been  released  from 
durance  at  Fort  Scott,  equipped  anew  by  McPhail  at 
Braska,  and  had  ridden  to  the  cantonment  to  harangue 
such  Indians  as  were  already  reassembling  there,  and  to 
thunder  furious  threats  at  the  officers  of  the  Fortieth. 
Three  bitter  weeks  had  the  Gray  Fox  and  his  faithful 
men  been  scoring  the  wild,  wintry  fastnesses  along  the 
Wakpa-Schicha,  and,  just  as  the  Indians  obtained 
through  the  bureau  the  vast  supplies  of  ammunition 
with  which  to  battle  the  soldiers  through  the  summer 
past,  so  now,  while  the  War  Department  was  running 
down  the  renegades  in  the  field,  the  Interior  Depart 
ment  was  running  down  the  soldiery  at  home.  The 
troops  came  in  with  the  conviction  that  they  had  been 
seeing  some  hard  and  trying  service,  many  of  them 
with  frosted  fingers,  toes,  or  ears,  and  thinking  they 
deserved  ratlier  well  of  their  country  for  having  finally 
rounded  up  a  thousand  warriors  with  all  their  families, 
ponies,  and  unsavory  impedimenta,  and  the  general  so 
informed  them,  and  leaving  a  command  of  eight  com- 


I'XDER   FIRE.  285 

panics,  equally  divided  among  the  horse  and  foot,  to 
occupy  the  cantonments  on  the  Chasing  Water  and 
thereafter  keep  the  Indians  in  check,  he  hastened  away 
to  attend  to  important  business  in  another  lively  section 
of  his  big  department.  The  agency  buildings  were 
being  rapidly  restored,  which  was  much  more  than 
could  be  said  of  its  influence  for  good  among  the  red 
men,  and  presently  McPhail  and  his  family  reappeared 
on  the  scene,  shook  hands  all  around  with  the  warriors 
who  burned  him  out  several  weeks  before,  slapped  Elk 
at  Bay  on  the  back  and  called  him  a  bully  boy,  and 
promptly  requested  of  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
new  cantonment,  which  was  a  mile  away  up  stream,  a 
guard  of  a  lieutenant  and  twenty-five  men  to  be 
stationed  at  the  agency  itself.  The  major  demurred, 
and  the  agent  wired  to  Washington  with  the  usual 
result.  Whatsoever  slur  upon  his  actions  McPhail 
had  seen  fit  to  cast  at  the  expense  of  Mr.  Davies  during 
the  investigation  recently  referred  to,  he  had  heard 
enough  to  convince  him  that  the  Indians  spoke  of  that 
officer  with  awe  and  reverence  and  as  "  heap  brave ;" 
so  the  man  he  urgently  asked  for  to  command  his 
guard  was  the  very  one  whom  he  had  maligned.  The 
adjutant-general  of  the  department  could  only  transmit 
the  order  that  came  from  superior  head-quarters  within 
the  week,  and  Lieutenant  Davies,  just  as  he  was  ex 
pecting  brief  leave  of  absence  to  visit  his  wife  at  Fort 
Scott,  was  detailed  to  the  command  of  the  permanent 
agency  guard.  The  Ides  of  March  had  come. 

And  how  had  it  fared  with  Mira  and  her  sympa 
thetic  friends  at  Scott  during  all  these  weeks  of  toil 
and  march  and  scout  ?  Two  at  a  time  the  officers  had 


286  UNDER  FIRE. 

been  allowed  to  run  in  thither  for  a  few  days  as  soon 
as  their  men  and  horses  were  made  fairly  comfortable 
at  the  cantonments.  Cranston  and  Hay  went  first, 
then  Truman  and  Jervis,  then  came  the  turn  to  which 
Sanders  and  the  patient  Parson  had  been  looking  for 
ward,  and  Sanders  went  alone.  Already  some  of  those 
fearless  frontierswomen,  the  amazons  of  the  Fortieth, 
had  come  ahead  with  bag,  baggage  and  babies  and 
moved  into  the  log  huts  of  their  lords  as  contentedly 
as  they  would  have  taken  quarters  at  the  Grand  Cen 
tral  in  Omaha,  but  Mesdames  Flight  and  Darling  were 
not  of  the  number.  Indeed,  there  was  no  reason  why 
they  should  be,  as  it  was  settled  that  their  companies 
were  those  designated  presently  to  return  to  Scott ;  so 
was  Hay's  troop,  so  presumably  would  be  the  detached 
members  of  Devers's  Troop,  "  A,"  as  soon  as  he  wrote 
and  called  attention  to  the  fact  that  nearly  one-half  his 
men  were  detained  eighty  miles  away  where  there  was 
now  an  abundance  of  other  soldiery,  and  the  truly  re 
markable  thing  was  that  he,  always  hitherto  so  quick 
to  find  fault  with  or  criticise  the  actions  of  his  supe 
riors,  was  keeping  utter  silence,  and  so  long  as  he  made 
no  protest  no  one  else  could.  Colonel  Stone,  still  weak 
and  dazed,  was  just  beginning  to  hobble  about  the 
post,  and  for  six  wonderful  weeks  had  Devers  succeeded 
in  retaining  the  command. 

"  Your  husband  will  be  home  any  day/'  said  Mrs. 
Darling  to  Mira,  when  they  got  the  news  of  the 
triumphant  return  of  the  command  to  the  cantonments. 
"  He  belongs  here  with  his  troop,  so  he's  sure  to  come, 
and  then,"  she  added,  archly,  "  what  will  poor  Willett 
do?" 


UNDER  FIRE.  287 

That  was  a  question  occurring  to  many  another  mind 
and  falling  from  many  another  tongue.  The  rapture 
of  Cranston's  home-coming  one  sharp  evening  in  late 
February  was  dashed  only  by  the  sight  of  a  blooming 
face  at  AYillett's  side  behind  that  stylish  Eastern  team. 
In  the  windings  of  the  road  among  the  willow  islands 
in  the  Platte  he  had  come  suddenly  upon  them,  he 
riding  at  rapid  gallop,  they  dawdling  with  loosened 
reins.  "VVillett  was  bending  eagerly  toward  her,  talk 
ing  earnestly.  She  sat  with  downcast  eyes  that  never 
saw  the  swift  rider  until  he  had  almost  passed  them 
by.  Mrs.  Darling,  chatting  with  Mr.  Burtis  on  the 
rear  seat,  was  the  first  to  announce  his  coming,  and 
with  rare  presence  of  mind  to  turn  and  send  sweetest 
smiles  and  beaming  glances  and  the  welcome  of  a 
waving  hand  after  the  grim,  bearded  face  that  had  no 
smile  for  their  civilian  escorts  and  only  grave  courtesy 
for  the  ladies  themselves.  He  would  not  mar  the  joy 
of  his  home-coming  by  the  faintest  reference  to  what 
he  had  seen,  but  Margaret  read  his  honest  eyes  as  she 
read  her  boys',  and  knew  that  he  must  have  met  them 
on  the  way.  For  weeks  she  had  seen  the  rapid  growth 
of  the  new  intimacy  and  deplored  it,  and  had  no  one 
to  confer  with  about  it  except  Agatha,  but  Agatha 
flatly  refused  to  open  her  lips  upon  the  subject.  It 
was  a  mercy  that  Wilbur  at  last  came  home  and  un 
loosed  her  tongue.  As  she  pathetically  said,  "  I 
simply  could  not  contain  myself  any  longer." 

But  if  Mrs.  Cranston  had  held  her  tongue,  there  was 
no  lack  of  others  who  had  not,  and  foremost  of  these 
was  Mrs.  Flight,  who  spoke  by  the  card.  For  a  fort 
night  or  so  the  devotion  of  these  two  ladies,  Mrs. 


288  UNDER  FIRE. 

Flight  and  Mira,  to  one  another  had  been  of  that 
seething  and  tireless  character  that  rendered  them  in 
capable  of  spending  an  hour  apart,  and  then  came  the 
little  tiffs  and  coolnesses  that  betokened  that  this,  too, 
was  inevitably  going  the  way  of  all  such  feminine  inti 
macies.  Up  to  the  day  of  Mini's  coming  Mrs.  Flight 
and  Mrs.  Darling  had  been  inseparable  for  as  much 
as  a  week  at  a  time.  Both  were  young,  pretty,  and 
empty-headed ;  neither  was  burdened  with  children 
nor  ideas.  Both  were  healthy,  one  was  wealthy,  neither 
was  wise.  Mrs.  Darling  had  the  advantage  over  Mrs. 
Flight  in  that  she  was  able  to  entertain  lavishly, 
whereas  Mrs.  Flight  could  only  entertain  by  personal 
charm  and  sprightly  chat.  They  were  the  reigning 
belles  at  Scott,  and  not  only  the  young  officers  at  the 
post,  but  the  young  civilians  in  town,  found  great 
pleasure  in  their  society.  There  was  capital  sleighing 
for  several  weeks,  and  Willett  and  Burtis  came  as  often 
as  every  other  day  to  take  the  ladies  an  airing.  At 
first  it  had  been  Mesdames  Flight  and  Darling,  then 
the  bride  had  to  be  invited  because  she  was  the  bride, 
then  because  she  was  a  beauty,  and  finally  because 
Willett  would  have  no  one  else.  Then  as  it  was  gen 
erally  at  Darlings'  they  lunched,  dined,  danced,  supped, 
were  wined  and  warmed  and  welcomed,  it  transpired 
that  Mrs.  Flight  found  herself  very  frequently  dropped 
from  the  sleigh-rides, — only  invited  semi-occasionally, 
perhaps  once  in  ten  days,  when  Burtis  pointed  out  to 
Willett  that  they  really  must,  you  know,  to  which  the 
now  infatuated  Willett  merely  responded,  "All  right, 
You  ask  her,  then,  and  let  her  sit  with  you."  No  one 
but  Mrs.  Davies  shared  the  sleigh  man's  seat. 


I'XDER  FIRE.  289 

During  the  fortnight  that  followed  the  departure  of 
Lieutenant  Davies,  Mrs.  Flight  had  been  devotion 
itself  to  her  dear,  bereaved  friend,  and,  having  wept 
with  her,  slept  with  her,  sleighed  with  her,  bared  her 
innermost  soul  to  her,  and  made  herself,  as  she  sup 
posed,  indispensable,  it  was  to  be  expected  that  Mrs. 
Flight  could  not  look  with  equanimity  upon  the  dis 
covery  that  she  was  not  so  indispensable  after  all. 
She  had  started  Mira  on  the  road  to  conquest,  never 
dreaming  that  she  herself  would  be  the  first  overtaken 
and  supplanted.  She  had  thought  hitherto  no  possible 
harm  could  come  of  their  taking  an  occasional  drive 

O 

with  their  friends,  especially  as  Mr.  Flight  expressed 
himself  so  grateful  for  the  attention  shown  his  wife, 
and  as  she  and  Mrs.  Darling  seemed  chosen  rather  to 
the  exclusion  of  the  other  women,  but  when  Mira  and 
not  herself  became  the  invariable  occupant  of  the  seat 
by  the  swell  civilian's  side,  the  indiscretion,  not  to  say 
the  impropriety  of  the  affair,  became  glaringly  ap 
parent.  It  is  rarely  from  the  contemplation  of  our 
own,  but  rather  from  the  errors  of  our  neighbors,  that 
our  moral  lessons  are  drawn,  and  now  that  in  all  its 
nakedness  the  scandalous  nature  of  Mira's  conduct 
was  forced  upon  her  attention,  Mrs.  Flight  reasoned, 
most  logically,  that  she  could  be  no  true  friend  if  she 
failed  to  remonstrate  and,  if  need  be,  admonish  and 
reprove.  She  did  so,  and  Almira  pouted  and  was 
grievously  vexed.  She  didn't  think  so  at  all,  neither 
had  Mrs.  Flight  until — until  she  began  to  be  counted 
out.  This  led  to  war,  and  from  pointing  the  moral 
Mrs.  Flight  now  turned  to  adorning  the  tale  with 
what  "  everybody  was  saying."  Mira  challenged  her 
N  t  25 


290  UNDER  FIRE. 

authorities.  "  I  know  who  you  mean, — Mrs.  Cranston 
and  Miss  Loomis.  They  hate  me  and  would  say  any 
thing  mean  of  me."  Now,  it  was  not  Mrs.  Cranston 
and  Miss  Loomis  at  all.  They  had  no  more  intimacy 
with  Mrs.  Flight  than  they  had  with  Mira,  nor  as 
much.  They  looked  upon  Mrs.  Flight  as  responsible 
in  great  measure  for  Almira's  wrong  start.  They 
under  no  circumstances  would  confide  to  Mrs.  Flight 
what  they  thought  of  Mrs.  Davies,  and  Mrs.  Flight 
knew  it,  still  she  was  not  unwilling  to  let  Mira  sup 
pose  that  she  was  now  enjoying  their  confidences  even 
while  she  referred  to  other  authorities  by  the  dozen  as 
condemning  or  deploring  Mira's  conduct,  and  a  stormy 
scene  followed,  ending  in  tears  and  reproaches, — much 
heat,  followed  by  chilling  cold. 

For  the  following  fortnight  Almira's  intimacy  was 
transferred  to  Mrs.  Darling,  and  from  going  to  spend 
the  night  with  Mira,  Mrs.  Flight  took  to  revolving  in 
mind  her  singular  observations  while  she  was  there. 
There  had  been  a  thrilling,  a  delicious,  a  mysterious 
and  romantic  occurrence.  Somebody  twice  came  and 
whistled  a  strange,  soft  melody  under  the  window  and 
tapped  as  with  a  cane,  gently,  stealthily,  a  signal  that 
sounded  like  Rattat  tat,  rattat  tat,  just  once  repeated, 
and  Mrs.  Davies  trembled  all  over  and  grew  icily  cold, 
and  begged  Mrs.  Flight  to  go  to  the  window  and  say, 
"  Go  away,  or  I'll  call  the  guard,"  and  when  pressed 
for  explanation  Mira  moaned  hysterically  and  said, 
but  Mrs.  Flight  must  never,  never  tell,  that  there  was 
once  a  young  man  whom  she  had  known  long  before 
who  had  got  desperate  on  her  account,  for  she  couldn't 
return  his  love,  and  he  had  run  away  from  home  and 


UNDER   FIRE.  291 

enlisted,  and  she  feared  that  he  was  there  now,  though  she 
had^never  seen  him  and  never  wanted  to  see  him,  and 
it  became  Mrs.  Flight's  belief  that  it  was  no  one  less 
than  that  handsome  young  fellow,  Brannan,  who  Cap 
tain  Devers  said  was  drinking  himself  to  death.  And 
now  that  Mira  had  withdrawn  from  her  the  confidences 
of  the  month  gone  by  and  was  recklessly  driving  the 
road  to  ruin,  flouting  her  admonitions,  what  more 
natural  than  that  Mrs.  Flight  should  forget  her  own 
vows  of  secrecy  and  conclude  it  time  to  seek  other 
advice?  Mrs.  Darling  would  have  been  her  first  con 
fidante  in  this  revelation,  but  they,  too,' had  once  been 
devotedly  intimate  and  had  now  drifted  apart.  They 
were  no  longer  on  anything  more  than  merely  frigidly 
friendly  terms,  smiling  and  kissing  in  public  and 
hiding  womanfully  their  wounds,  yet  confiding  to 
frieuds  how  much  they  had  been  disappointed  in  the 
other's  character,  if  not  actually  deceived.  Mrs. 
Flight  found  a  confidante  in  the  chaplain's  wife,  a 
woman  simply  swamped  under  an  overload  of  best 
intentions.  It  was  Bulwer  who  declared  that  "  It  is 
difficult  to  say  who  do  the  most  harm,  enemies  with 
the  worst  intentions  or  friends  with  the  best,"  but 
Bulwer,  who  had  reason  to  know  what  he  was  talking 
about,  never  lived  at  Scott  in  the  Centennial  times  or 
at  old  Camp  Sandy  in  the  Arizona  "  days  of  the  em 
pire,"  for  then  he  would  have  known  no  such  difficulty 
in  deciding.  Just  as  the  stanch  old  chaplain  was  just 
such  another  God-fearing,  God-serving,  devil-downing 
man  as  Davies's  father,  so  was  the  chaplain's  wife  a 
counterpart  of  Davies's  mother,  filled  with  the  milk 
of  human  kindness  still  unturned,  and  overflowing  with 


292  UNDER  FIRE. 

best  intentions  uncontrollably  effervescent.  Had  she 
told  her  husband  all  might  have  been  stopped  right 
there,  but,  as  the  demon  of  ill  luck  would  have  it,  he 
had  gone  to  a  distant  convention.  So  she  sallied  forth, 
brimming  with  eagerness  to  snatch  this  lovely  brand 
from  the  burning,  to  turn  this  fair,  motherless,  guide- 
less,  possibly  guileless  girl  to  the  contemplation  of  her 
dangers,  to  the  knowledge  of  her  peril,  to  banish  "YVil- 
lett  from  the  dove-cote, — wily  hawk  that  he  was, — and 
settle  forthwith  the  fate  of  that  young  scamp  Brannan. 
She  did  not  find  Almira  until  after  dark,  but  mean 
time  told  her  thrilling  tale  to  Mrs.  Stone  (now  full 
panoplied  for  further  social  triumphs,  the  colonel  being 
on  the  mend,  and  herself  so  young  as  not  to  have 
looked  unmoved  on  those  famous  sleigh-rides,  nor  with 
out  e,nvy  on  Almira's  blooming  cheek),  and  from  her 
side  sped  the  chaplain's  wife  to  hunt  up  Captain 
Devers.  In  him  she  found  a  listener  indeed  in  whom 
there  was  no  end  of  guile. 

This  was  just  before  Cranston's  return.  The  ball 
to  be  given  by  the  townsfolk  had  been  indefinitely 
postponed  in  deference  to  Colonel  Stone's  condition 
and  the  absence  of  so  many  dancing  men  in  the  field, 
but  the  weekly  hops,  although  with  thinned  attendance, 
went  regularly  on.  Now  there  were  several  households 
who  did  not  attend  at  all,  among  them  Cranston's, 
Leonard's,  and  Hay's.  More  civilians  came  out  from 
town,  whom  Devers  welcomed  affably  and  Hastings 
and  the  resident  "  doughboys"  entertained  as  best  they 
could.  No  need  to  trouble  themselves :  the  visitors 
came  to  "  dance  with  the  grass  widows  at  the  fort," 
and  had  no  embarrassment  other  than  richness.  There 


UNDER  FIRE,  293 

were  always  wall-flowers,  but  never  in  the  person  of 
pretty  Mrs.  Davies,  to  whom  "  Phaeton'7  Willett's  de 
votion  was  nowr  the  talk  of  all. 

It  was  just  at  this  time,  too,  that  there  came  to 
Braska  a  middle-aged  lawyer  with  all  the  ear-marks 
of  the  soldier  about  him,  including  a  white  seam  along 
his  cheek  that  told  of  a  close  call  his  intimates  knew 
to  have  occurred  at  Spottsylvania.  His  name  was 
Langston,  and  his  first  visit  to  the  post  was  the  result 
of  a  letter  of  introduction  to  Captain  Cranston  from  a 
classmate  in  the  East.  Cranston  had  driven  over  to 
Braska  to  seek  him  out  on  receipt  of  the  letter  en 
closing  Laugston's  card,  bade  him  hearty  welcome  to 
the  West,  and  was  surprised  to  hear  that  his  practice 
brought  him  frequently  to  the  neighborhood.  He 
asked  him  out  to  dinner  two  weeks  later,  Captain  and 
Mrs  Hay,  Mrs.  Davies,  and  Mr.  Hastings  being  in 
vited  to  meet  him,  for  almost  his  first  question  had 
been  for  that  soldierly  young  officer,  the  hero  of  the 
riot  on  the  train.  Mrs.  Davies  pleaded  previous  en 
gagement,  but  Captain  and  Mrs.  Cranston  took  the 
trouble  to  call  and  explain  that  this  Mr.  Langston 
especially  admired  and  asked  for  her  husband,  Mr. 
Davies,  and  so  Almira  simply  had  to  go.  Hastings 
called  for  and  escorted  her.  He  was  a  blunt  fellow, 
who  held  that  when  the  husband  was  away  and  the 
lady  of  the  house  alone,  no  other  man  ought  to  set  foot 
within  the  threshold,  and  he  waited  on  the  porch. 
But  the  lady  was  not  alone.  Willett's  sleigh  was  in 
the  trader's  stable,  and  Willett  himself  biting  his  nails 
and  swearing  in  Almira's  parlor  while  Mrs.  Darling 
was  putting  the  finishing  touches  to  Almira's  toilet. 
25* 


294  UNDER  FIRE. 

Willett  had  driven  out  solus  this  time,  thinking  to 
persuade  Mrs.  Davies  to  take  a  drive,  with  some  other 
dames  playing  propriety  on  the  back  seat,  and,  finding 
she  was  engaged  for  dinner  and  could  not  go,  lost  a 
chance  of  scoring  a  point  by  asking  the  other  women 
anyhow,  for  by  this  time  his  infatuation  had  utterly 
overcome  his  senses.  Katty  again  appeared  and  begged 
the  lieutenant  to  step  in  wid  Mr.  Willett,  and  Hustings 
turned  fiery  red,  scowled  malevolently,  said  "  No,"  and 
took  himself  outside  the  gate,  pacing  up  and  down 
like  the  orderly  in  front  of  Devers's  quarters,  a  short 
pistol-shot  away,  until  Almira  came  fluttering  out, 
Willett  in  close  attendance,  Mrs.  Darling  mercifully 
following.  Hastings  bade  the  others  a  gruff  good- 
evening,  silently  tendered  Mrs.  Davies  his  arm,  and  led 
her  away  with  the  sole  remark  " Aren't  we  late?" 
which  gave  her  a  chance  to  talk  the  rest  of  the  way. 

And  though  Langston  sat  on  Mrs.  Cranston's  right, 
with  the  pretty  bride  on  his  other  side,  so  that  he 
might  descant  about  the  absent  Percy  to  his  heart's 
content,  his  eyes  ever  wandered  across  the  simple  table 
and  dwelt  on  Agatha  Loomis's  noble  face.  She  had 
recognized  him  at  once  as  the  one  of  the  two  civilians 
on  the  sleeper  the  previous  June  who  had  not  been 
suggestively  and  impertinently  intrusive,  yet  she  wel 
comed  him  only  formally  even  now  because  of  that 
association.  Langston  had  heard  the  first  mention  of 
a  Mrs  Davies  with  an  inexplicable  little  pang,  and  the 
further  description  of  her  with  quick  reaction,  for  his 
instant  thought  was  of  Miss  Loomis.  The  dinner 
dragged,  despite  every  effort,  for  Almira  was  distinctly 
and  determinedly  unresponsive.  Margaret  was  glad 


UNDER   FIRE.  295 

when  it  was  over,  glad  when  Almira  early  went  home, 
for  matters  brightened  somewhat  with  her  disappear 
ance.  Langston  paid  his  dinner  call  with  surprising 
promptitude,  and  then  overjoyed  "  the  ladies"  with  a 
box  of  rarest  roses  expressed  from  Margaret's  own 
beloved  home.  "  I  know  how  many  of  these  are 
meant  for  me,"  she  said,  with  almost  fierce  rejoicing. 
"  Oh,  Wilbur  !"  she  cried  that  evening,  as  she  nestled 
in  his  arms  in  front  of  their  cheery  fire,  "  if  only  he 
is  all  they  say  of  him,  and  she  should " 

"Should  what,  Meg?"  he  densely  queried. 

"Should — why,  you  know  just  as  well  as  I  do,  and 
he  has  such  a  fine  practice,  and  comes  from  such  an 
admirable  family  and  all  that." 

"  Undoubtedly, — but  where  does  Agatha  come  in  ?" 

"  Wilbur,  you  are  just  as  provokingly  sluggish  as 
our  own  Chicago  River, — what  wouldn't  I  give  for  a 
sight  of  its  dirty  face  sometimes  when — when  you're 
away  !  Now,  be  honest.  Don't  you  know  he  never 
could  have  sent  all  that  way  for  all  those  roses — just 
forme?" 

"  /  would." 

"  Oh,  you, — you  are "  but  the  entrance  of  Miss 

Loomis  herself  with  sorrow  in  her  face  blocked  the 
conference. 

"  Captain  Cranston,"  she  said,  "  Brannan  has  been 
sent  to  the  guard-house  again.  I  know  he  has  not 
been  drinking.  What  can  it  possibly  mean  ?" 

It  meant,  said  Captain  Devers,  when  respectfully 
approached  upon  the  subject  in  the  morning,  that  on 
very  strong  circumstantial  evidence  he  had  discovered 
the  identity  of  the  night  prowler.  Brannan  certainly 


296  UNDER  FIRE. 

answered  the  description  given  by  the  chaplain,  despite 
the  chaplain's  assurance  that  he  didn't  believe  it  was 
Brannan,  and  Brannan,  said  Devers,  when  not  in  the 
guard-house  or  hospital,  had  frequently  been  out  of  his 
quarters  at  midnight. 


CHAPTER    XXI. 

CRANSTON'S  six  days  home-keeping  sped  all  too 
swiftly  away.  It  was  now  definitely  settled  that  his 
troop  and  Truman's  were  to  remain  indefinitely  on 
duty  at  the  agency.  The  general  hated  the  idea  of 
building  cantonments  there,  and  had  urged  that  all  the 
Indians  be  concentrated  at  the  White  River  reserva 
tion,  but  without  avail, — the  Interior  Department  would 
have  its  way.  Troops  had  to  be  drawn  from  all  the 
posts  along  the  railroad  to  make  up  the  new  command 
at  the  Ogallalla,  and  out  of  his  own  pocket  Cranston 
was  adding  to  the  log  quarters  assigned  to  him,  for 
Margaret  had  promptly  announced  that  she  would  not 
remain  at  Scott,  that  where  he  dwelt  was  her  dwelling, 
and  they  had  known  far  greater  isolation  and  danger 
in  the  past.  Indeed,  there  was  little  danger  of  their 
going  now,  for  in  the  presence  of  so  strong  a  force  the 
Indians  would  be  meek  enough.  Two  log  huts  were 
connected  and  thrown  into  one  as  rapidly  as  possible, 
and  it  was  fully  decided  that  by  the  25th  of  March 
Mrs.  Cranston,  Agatha  Loomis,  and  the  boys  were  to 
join  him  at  the  cantonment.  It  was  not  a  very  diffi- 


UNDER  FIRE.  297 

cult  trip  for  such  heroines  as  lived  iu  those  days  in  the 
army.  Cranston's  strong  spring  wagon,  fairly  lined 
with  buffalo-robes  and  blankets,  would  carry  them  in 
perfect  comfort  from  camp  to  camp.  They  would 
have  an  escort  and  a  baggage- wagon,  spend  the  first 
night  at  Dismal  River,  the  next  at  Niobrara.  Hastings 
would  escort  them,  for  he  longed  to  get  away  from 
Scott  for  a  while  and  visit  his  comrades  in  the  field. 
There  was  nothing  in  the  least  unusual  in  it,  said 
Margaret,  in  her  home  letters, — for  this  had  she  mar 
ried  a  soldier.  The  boys,  of  course,  gloried  in  the 
opportunity  and  bragged  about  it,  or  would  brag  about 
it  when  they  next  got  away  from  their  kind  in  the 
army  to  their  kind  in  civil  life, — boys  who  could  only 
vainly  long  for  such  opportunities  and  vaguely  loathe 
those  who  had  enjoyed  them.  As  for  Agatha,  she 
accepted  the  change  of  station  with  serene  and  philo 
sophic  silence  until  cross- questioned  as  to  her  own  in 
tentions.  "  Why,  certainly  I  mean  to  go  with  Mrs. 
Cranston,"  she  replied,  with  clear,  wide-open  eyes. 
"  She  will  have  more  need  of  me  there  than  here — and 
I  of  her."  Mr.  Langston,  who  drove  out  again  to 
spend  Sunday  at  the  post,  heard  of  the  decision  with 
grave  concern  iu  his  soldierly  face,  but  in  silence  equal 
to  her  own. 

Some  others  of  the  ladies  whose  lords  were  thus 
detached  to  Ogallalla  preferred,  however,  to  wait  until 
the  snow  was  gone.  There  was  now  abundant  room 
at  Scott, — why  leave  it,  with  its  warmth,  its  comfort, 
its  society  and  all,  to  go  to  a  mud-chinked  hovel  at 
that  ghastly  spot  where  the  Indians  danced  and  coyotes 
howled  the  live-long  night?  Of  course  if  there  were 


298  VNDKK  FIRE. 

quarters  in  which  a  woman  could  live  with  even  reason 
able  comfort,  that  would  be  very  different.  Then  their 
remaining  at  Scott  would  be  inexcusable.  Mrs.  Flight 
and  Mrs.  Darling  were  women  who  were  at  variance 
on  very  many  points  of  late,  but  openly  in  accord  on 
this.  Indeed,  almost  every  woman  at  Scott  had  all  of 
a  sudden  been  seized  by  some  strange  lingual  epidemic 
that  manifested  itself  in  the  persistent  repetition  of 
such  expressions  as  "  Of  course  no  woman  who  could 
see  her  way  to  any  kind  of  a  civilized  house  would  be 
justified  in  not  joining  her  husband  there  instead  of 
staying  here."  It  was  sure  to  attack  them,  too,  when 
ever  Almira  happened  to  be  within  ear-shot,  for  the 
news  came  down  one  March  morning  that  one  officer 
at  least  was  to  have  a  very  comfortable  little  frame 
cottage, — the  commander  of  the  agency  guard.  It 
would  be  finished  in  a  week  or  two,  and  even  the 
stoves,  fuel,  and  much  of  the  furniture  would  be  pro 
vided  by  the^  Indian  bureau.  Again  did  Mrs.  Crans 
ton  go  and  call  on  Mrs.  Davies  and  warmly  congratu 
late  her,  and  say  that  Captain  Cranston's  men  who 
were  packing  up  the  troop  property  would  gladly  box 
and  pack  her  furniture  too  and  send  it  out  by  their 
wagons,  and  then  she  said  there  were  six  inside  seats 
in  the  big  Concord  wagon  and  it  would  afford  so  much 
pleasure  if  Mrs.  Davies  would  go  with  them.  But 
Almira  faltered  unresponsively.  Mr.  Davies  had  not 
fully  decided.  It  was  such  a  shock  to  her, — his  being 
detained  there.  She  had  never  dreamed  of  his  being 
away  more  than  a  week  or  ten  days,  if  she  had  she 
would  have  returned  home  to  Urbana,  but  now  it  was 
nearly  two  months,  and  really  Mr.  Davies  would  have 


I  \DER   FIRE.  299 

to  come  down  and  look  after  the  household  affairs  and 
matters  that  she  didn't  fully  understand. 

Davies  understood  them  well  enough  when  he  got 
the  commissary  and  grocer  and  butcher  and  baker  and 
other  bills  that  Mira  had  managed  to  run  up,  both  at 
Scott  and  at  Braska.  He  went  with  grave  face  to 
Cranston.  "  I'm  afraid  Mrs.  Maloney  and  Katty 
have  been  taking  advantage  of  my  wife's  inexperience," 
said  he,  "  and  ordering  all  manner  of  things  in  all 
possible  quantities,  and  possibly,  or  probably,  stocking 
the  Maloney  larder  at  my  expense.  I  simply  cannot 
pay  these  and  my  home  assessments  too." 

Cranston  was  a  man  of  few  words.  "  Davies,"  said 
he,  after  looking  over  the  accounts,  "  Mrs.  Davies  has 
been  cheated  right  and  left  by  those  people,  but  in  any 
event  you  cannot  keep  up  two  establishments.  Break 
up  the  house  at  Scott  at  once,  let  her  come  out  with 
my  people  and  leave  the  Maloneys  and  Barnickel — 
and  Scott  behind.  Let  my  Braska  banker  be  yours 
for  the  present.  A  few  mouths  here  will  float  you 
well  above  water." 

And  though  Davies  declined  the  offer  of  pecuniary 
aid,  the  very  night  of  Mrs.  Cranston's  visit  the  agency 
telegraph  flashed  to  Mira  a  despatch  directing  her  to 
get  ready  to  come  on  with  them,  whereat  Mira  fled  in 
tears  to  Mrs.  Darling, — Mira,  who,  it  may  be  remem 
bered,  longed  to  come  and  cook  and  bake  and  darn  and 
sweep  and  sew  and  share  the  merest  hovel  with  her 
Percy  so  long  as  she  thought  it  just  possible  that  he 
might  yet  change  his  mind  and  leave  his  simple  village 
maid  no  fate  but  lonely  grief  and  an  early  grave. 
Mira's  enthusiasm  for  the  bliss  of  frontier  life  fled  at 


300  UNDER  FIRE. 

the  contemplation  of  the  utter  isolation  at  the  agency, 
— with  wild  Indians  and  animals  all  around,  and  with 
out  Mrs.  Darling,  without  the  lovely,  cosey  fireside 
confidences,  without  the  band,  the  hops,  the  sleigh- 
rides,  not  to  mention  the  glowing  devotions  of  Mr. 
Willett, 

But  Mrs.  Darling  rose  to  the  occasion.  From 
having  been  first  favorite  in  Scott  social  circles  up  to 
the  time  of  Mira's  coming  she,  with  Mrs.  Stone  and 
Mrs.  Flight,  was  struggling  now  for  second  place. 
She  felt  constrained  to  remind  Mira  that  she  was  now 
a  soldier's  wife,  and  should  share  a  soldier's  lot,  espe 
cially  a  lot  that  included  furnished  quarters.  Other 
women  had  gone  or  were  going  to  live  in  the  log 
huts,  and  it  would  never  do  to  have  it  said  of  her, 
of  Almira  Davies,  that  she  had  shrunk  from  join 
ing  her  husband  at  the  agency  when  everything — 
everything  was  provided.  Everything  wasn't  pro 
vided,  by  any  means,  but  in  the  largeness  of  her 
convictions  woman  sometimes  drifts  to  breadth  of 
statement.  The  interview  with  Mrs.  Darling  proved 
but  cold  comfort  to  poor  Mira.  She  went  homewards 
through  the  chill  gloaming  with  restless  heart.  There 
was  a  little  parcel  lying  on  her  table,  securely  wrapped 
and  sealed.  The  post  ambulance  driver  brought  it  out 
from  Braska,  said  Katty,  "an*  there  was  no  address, 
'twas  only  to  be  left  for  Mrs.  Davies,"  and  Katty  fain 
would  have  followed  her  mistress  into  her  chamber  to 
see  it  opened,  but  Mira  closed  the  door  before  she  cut 
the  string.  It  contained  some  exquisite  double  violets 
and  a  tiny  note  sealed  as  carefully  as  was  the  box. 

Before  tattoo  Mrs.  Flight  and  other  ladies  hastened 


UNDER  FIRE.  301 

in  to  offer  their  congratulations.  They  were  desolated 
at  the  thought  of  losing  Mrs.  Davies,  but  rejoiced  with 
her  that  she  was  so  soon  to  be  comfortably  housed  with 
her  devoted  husband  at  the  agency,  and  Mira's  cheeks 
were  flaming,  her  eyes,  full  of  a  feverish  excitement, 
flitted  from  one  to  another.  She  had  but  very,  very 
little  to  say.  She  was  glad,  oh,  yes,  so  glad,  though  it 
was  dreadful  to  leave  Fort  Scott,  where  so  many  people 
had  been  so  kind  to  her, — dreadful. 

This  was  about  the  20th  and  the  general  situation 
of  affairs  was  somewhat  complicated.  The  bureau, 
resuming  control  over  the  Indians  reassembled  at  the 
agency,  conferred  no  longer  with  the  general  who  had 
gathered  them  in,  and  for  whose  naked  word  they  had 
more  respect  than  for  all  the  formal  treaties  of  agents 
or  inspectors,  but  contented  itself  with  sending  curt, 
crisp  orders  signed,  however  reluctantly,  by  his  supe 
riors  at  Washington.  The  general,  leaving  matters  at 
Ogallalla  where  he  had  no  influence,  had  gone  after 
other  malcontent  braves  in  a  far  corner  of  Wyoming. 
Colonel  Peleg  was  beginning  to  evince  a  desire  to 
resume  command,  despite  Rooke's  knitted  brows  and 
reluctant  answers.  An  official  from  Sheridan's  head 
quarters  had  just  paid  informal  visit  to  Scott,  had  had 
long  talks  with  Stone,  Leonard,  and  the  chaplain,  and 
a  very  short  one  with  the  plausible  Devers,  and  had 
gone  back  to  Chicago.  He  arrived  at  Scott  within 
four  days  of  Cranston's  departure  for  the  agency,  and 
within  five  of  the  re  incarceration  of  Trooper  Brannan 
on  charge  of  night  prowling.  He  made  very  brief 
examination  in  Leonard's  office  of  Sergeants  Haney 
and  Finucane,  Corporal  Boyd  and  Trooper  Howard, 

26 


302  UNDER  FIRE. 

who  were  witnesses,  so  Devers  said,  to  the  frequent 
absences  of  Trooper  Braunan  from  quarters  during 
the  dead  hours  of  the  night,  and  their  expert  testimony 
seemed  to  be  given  with  much  reluctance  and  to  be 
received  with  equal  incredulity.  He  asked  of  Devers 
what  his  reasons  were  for  refusing  to  forward  Brannan's 
application  for  transfer  to  Cranston's  troop,  and  Devers, 
much  disturbed  to  find  that  this  was  known,  hesitated 
in  his  reply.  He  said  he  had  not  refused,  he  had 
merely  taken  time  to  consider.  The  man  had  given 
him  much  trouble.  Some  officers  considered  it  all 
right  for  a  captain  under  such  circumstances  to  shunt 
a  reprobate  off  on  some  other  company  commander, 
but  he  differed  with  them.  He  wanted  to  know  some 
thing  of  the  man's  antecedents.  "Well,"  said  the 
aide-de-camp,  "  Cranston  knows  all  about  them  and  is 
willing  to  take  him.  You  might  relieve  yourself  of 
any  feeling  of  punctilio  on  that  score." 

"  Then  Captain  Cranston  is  your  informant  in  this 
business,  colonel,"  said  Devers,  with  an  attempt  at  a 
sneer. 

"Not  at  all,"  said  the  aide-de-camp,  placidly. 
"  Brannan's  mother  told  us  all  about  it.  She  is  a 
very  superior  woman,  and  we  dine  there  occasionally." 

Devers  stared  blankly  at  the  speaker  just  a  moment, 
half  incredulous,  half  resentful,  then  at  last  he  realized 
that  it  was  no  pleasantry  on  the  part  of  his  visitor  and, 
for  once  in  his  life,  collapsed  entirely. 

That  night  Brannan  was  released  and  bidden  to  go 
to  his  troop  and  be  patient.  This  time  there  was  no 
doubt  of  his  application  being  forwarded  to  regimental 
head-quarters,  and  there's  no  doubt,  said  the  chaplain, 


IXDER  FIRE.  303 

who  had  a  talk  with  him  within  an  hour  of  his  resto 
ration  to  duty,  that  a  week  would  see  him  en  route  to 
join  Cranston's  troop  at  Ogallalla.  Devcrs  was  still 
commanding  officer  of  the  post,  however,  and  gave  the 
chaplain  to  understand  that  so  long  as  the  man  re 
mained  at  Scott  the  interests  of  discipline  required  that 
there  should  be  no  exhibition  of  exuberant  triumph 
on  his  part  or  of  further  interference  on  the  part  of  his 
spiritual  sympathizers.  He  hated  the  chaplain  by  this 
time  as  much  as  he  feared  Cranston.  Something  had 
told  him  that  the  aide-de-camp's  visit  meant  that  the 
toils  were  tightening,  and  that  even  though  the  Gray 
Fox  was  away  his  great  superior,  the  lieutenant-gen 
eral,  had  an  eye  on  the  situation  and  an  ear  for  the 
stories  of  his  defamers.  Devers  felt  that  the  inspector 
came  because  of  sudden  and  direct  appeal  from  Bran- 
nan's  friends.  He  could  not  longer  attribute  it  to 
Da  vies.  Well,  it  would  take  a  week  or  ten  days  any 
how  before  Branuan's  orders  could  come,  and  a  week 
was  a  long  time  to  a  man  with  a  treacherous  thirst. 

But  what  Devers  only  suspected  and  did  not  know 
was  that  in  the  long  consultation  with  Leonard  that 
officer  gave,  by  request,  his  version  of  the  altercation 
which  had  taken  place  between  himself  and  Devers, 
and  of  the  events  leading  up  to  it.  The  staff  officer 
brought  with  him  the  original  report  of  the  investiga 
tion  made  of  the  Antelope  Springs  affair  and  Devers's 
topographical  sketch  of  the  ground,  trails  and  all,  and 
Leonard's  black  eyes  burned  as  he  studied  it.  The 
aide-de-camp  had  some  social  calls  to  pay  and  left 
these  papers  in  Leonard's  hands  while  he  was  gone. 
"  I  have  made  a  tracing  of  that  map,  colonel,"  said 


304  l\\DER   FIRE. 

the  adjutant,  when  after  two  hours  the  official  returned. 
"  I  hope  you  don't  object.  I  know  you  can't  leave 
the  originals  with  me." 

"  That's  all  right/7  was  the  answer.  "  Say,  Leonard, 
who's  that  young  cit  with  the  swell  team  who  came  to 
take  Mrs.  Davies  sleighing  ?  I  didn't  catch  the  name." 

"  His  name's  Willett,"  said  Leonard,  briefly. 

"  What's  he  doing  here  ?" 

"  Cattle." 

"  Cattle  in  Braska,  perhaps,  but  here,  I  mean." 

"  I  don't  know,"  said  Leonard  to  the  officer.  "  I 
wish  I  did,"  said  Leonard  to  himself.  "  If  I  did— 
I'd  smash  him." 

Mr.  Langston  had  driven  out  to  the  post  with  Wil 
lett  that  afternoon.  He  had  other  calls  to  pay,  and 
this  was  Saturday,  a  favorite  day  for  visiting  at  Braska. 
The  Cranstons'  house  was  topsy-turvy,  everybody  in 
the  midst  of  packing,  but  Langston  had  a  box  of  bon 
bons  which  the  ladies,  or  the  boys,  might  enjoy  as 
reminders  of  Chicago,  and  he  rang.  Miss  Loomis 
herself,  in  cap  and  apron,  opened  the  door.  Her 
shapely,  soft  white  hands  were  covered  with  the  dust 
of  books  and  papers  she  had  been  busily  storing  in 
the  boxes,  and  her  face  flushed,  just  a  bit,  at  sight  of 
her  visitor. 

"I  cannot  shake  hands  with  you,  Mr.  Langston, 
and,  as  you  see,  we're  all  at  work,  but  welcome  in. 
I'll  call  Mrs.  Cranston." 

"  No.  Don't,"  he  said,  hurriedly.  "  I  only  came  to 
offer  these  trifles.  I  heard  you  were  all  busy  packing 
and  had  hoped  to  hear  that,  after  all,  you  were  not 
going  up  to  that  forsaken  spot.  Is  it  true  ?" 


UNDER  FIRE.  305 

"  Certainly.  Wherever  Captain  Cranston  goes  there 
goes  his  wife,  and  where  she  goes  to  live  is  my  home 
and  duty." 

He  stood  looking  steadfastly  into  her  brave,  beau 
tiful  face.  He  was  tall  and  stalwart :  she  almost  Juno- 
like  in  the  grandeur  of  her  form.  He  could  not  con 
ceal  the  admiration  that  glowed  in  his  eyes.  He  could 
not,  dare  not  speak  so  soon  the  thoughts  that  had  been 
surging  in  his  brain,  springing  up  from  his  very  heart. 
What  would  he  not  give  could  she  but  accept  the  offer 
he  longed  to  lay  at  her  feet,  that  of  a  name,  a  love,  a 
home  wherein  she  should  reign  as  queen,  not  live  as  a 
dependent.  Such  silences  are  eloquent.  She  turned 
quickly  away.  "  Louis,  tell  mother  Mr.  Langston 
has  come  out  to  say  good-by,"  said  she,  and  Mrs. 
Cranston,  not  ten  feet  away,  these  being  army  quarters, 
had  to  appear. 

"  I  didn't  mean  to  say  good-by  here  exactly,"  said 
Langston.  "  I  rather  planned  to  see  you.  I  thought 
perhaps  you'd  honor  me  by  breakfasting  or  lunching 
with  me  in  Braska  on  your  way,"  he  said,  hesitatingly. 
"They  tell  me  ladies  often " 

"  Well,  we  go  direct.  Ours  is  the  through  express, 
Mr.  Langston,"  said  Mrs.  Cranston,  laughing,  "and 
it's  a  hotel  car  we  travel  by.  Braska  is  some  distance 
off  the  air  line." 

"  Braska  doesn't  seem  to  have  been  in  your  line  at 
any  time,"  he  said,  after  a  moment's  pause.  "  I  hear 
of  frequent  visits  on  the  part  of  the  other  ladies,  many 
of  them,  but  you  never  honor  us." 

"  Oh,  we  sometimes  go  there  for  shopping." 

"  But  to  CresswclPs,  I  mean,  for  luncheon  or  supper. 
u  26* 


306  UNDER  FIRE. 

They  say  be  gives  a  very  creditable  spread,  and  as 
quite  a  number  of  the  ladies  go  there  at  times,  and 
Willett  and  Burtis  have  a  little  party  there  to-night  in 
honor  of  some  of  your  friends,  I  thought  I  might  per 
suade  you ;  but — of  course — if  you  do  not  go  that 
way,"  he  concluded,  vaguely. 

"  No,  thank  you,  Mr.  Langston,  we  do  not — go  that 
way." 

"  But  I  shall  see  you,  both,  again  before  you  start,  I 
hope,"  he  said,  addressing  Mrs.  Cranston,  but  palpably 
appealing  to  Miss  Loomis  in  the  weakness  of  a  strong 
man  deeply  in  love. 

"  It  will  be  a  pleasure,"  said  Margaret,  cordially. 
She  wished  him  to  come.  She  meant  him  to  come. 
She  saw  and  forgave  the  wandering  eyes.  He  might 
come  any  day  he  pleased  before  the  25th.  There 
would  still  be  a  box  or  a  trunk  for  him  to  sit  on ; 
but  now,  she  concluded,  artfully,  she  must  get  right 
back  to  the  boys  a  minute.  They  were  trying  on 
some  clothes  that  had  just  come  from  home,  and  she'd 
return  very  soon.  So  saying  she  vanished.  It  was 
half  an  hour  before  she  reappeared,  and  Langston  was 
on  his  knees  in  the  parlor — packing  books.  It  was 
the  sweetest  work  he  had  known  in  years. 

But  when  he  was  finally  gone  Margaret  turned  im 
pulsively  to  Agatha.  "  Do  you  think  it  possible  that 
— that  she  can  be  going  there — with  him — to-night? 
No  matter  who  else  goes.  She  cannot  realize  what 
she's  doing.  Would  you  go — should  I  go  to  see  her  ?" 

Miss  Loomis  stood  at  the  window,  leaning  her  fore 
head  against  the  cold  pane  and  gazing  silently  out  over 
the  snowy  expanse  of  the  parade.  "  You  would  be 


UNDER   FIRE.  307 

too  late,  Margaret,"  she  answered,  presently,  and  drew 
back  from  the  folds  of  the  heavy  curtain,  and  Mrs. 
Cranston  seemed  to  read  in  her  companion's  face  what 
was  coming  along  the  road. 

Two  double  sleighs  drove  briskly  past  the  window. 
First  came  Stone's  old  swan-head  behind  his  sedate 
team  of  bays,  but  from  a  perfect  nest  of  robes  and  furs 
a  gay  party  waved  their  hands  in  laughing  salutation. 
Mrs.  Stone  and  Mrs.  Flight  on  the  back  seat,  Messrs. 
Darling  and  Tommy  Dot  opposite  them  in  the  body 
of  the  sleigh.  Captain  Pollock  in  the  driver's  perch 
with  a  fair  companion  whose  husband  was  still  detained 
at  the  agency,  but  wanted  her  to  have  the  best  time 
possible  instead  of  moping  at  home.  Then  came  Wil- 
lett's  stylish  sleigh  and  team,  Sanders  on  the  back  seat 
with  Mrs.  Darling,  Almira  blooming  in  her  accus 
tomed  place  by  "  Phaeton's"  side.  She  neither  bowed 
nor  kissed  her  hand  to  Cranston's  window,  but  smiled 
sweetly  up  into  her  companion's  eyes. 

Mr.  Laugston,  meantime,  was  dining  at  the  officers' 
mess,  and  presently  when  Mrs.  Leonard  came  over  to 
see  if  she  could  not  help  her  neighbor  a  trifle  in  her 
packing,  she  unfolded  some  of  the  details  of  the  Braska 
plan.  Messrs.  Burtis  and  Willett  desired  to  entertain 
some  of  their  fort  friends  in  town  ;  Colonel  "  Pegleg" 
was  the  only  man  at  the  post  who  owned  a  sleigh  ; 
Mrs.  Stone  was  invited  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  ac 
cepted,  provided  the  colonel  felt  well  enough  to  let  her 
go,  and  it  was  duly  settled  that  six  of  the  party  should 
go  in  her  sleigh.  The  rest  was  easily  arranged. 
Langston  was  only  too  glad  to  go  out  with  Willett 
and  spend  the  hours  until  the  return  of  the  party  in 


308  UNDER  FIRE. 

calling  and  dining  at  the  post,  hoping  thereby  to  obtain 
more  than  one  glance  at  and  more  than  a  few  words 
with  Miss  Loomis.  It  was  nearly  sundown  when  they 
started.  It  would  be  eleven  before  they  got  back. 
Long  before  that  hour  the  lights  in  Cranston's  quarters 
were  out  and  all  was  silence  and  peace.  Langston, 
strolling  by  after  making  his  evening  calls,  looked 
long,  as  lovers  will,  at  the  window  of  the  room  he 
knew  to  be  hers,  then  went  resignedly  over  to  the  store 
and  took  a  hand  with  the  officers  at  a  game  for  which 
at  other  times  he  had  no  use  whatever, — pool.  He 
had  to  do  something  to  while  away  the  time  until  the 
sleigh-bells  came  tinkling  back,  and  that  seemed  to  be 
the  only  thing  going. 

But  midnight  came  before  the  foremost  sleigh.  Pol 
lock  safely  tooled  his  party  into  the  post  as  the  twelve 
o'clock  call  was  going  the  rounds.  Oh,  they  had  had 
a  blissful  time !  a  glorious  time !  Such  a  delightful 
supper, — partridges  and  celery  and  all  manner  of  dain 
ties  from  Chicago,  and  such  oyster  patties !  to  say 
nothing  of  Roederer  ad  libitum.  Then  they  had 
danced,  and  then  they  had  more  supper,  and  then 
started  home.  Willett  would  be  along  in  a  minute. 

But  ten,  twenty  minutes  sped  and  no  Willett.  Pe- 
leg's  horses,  being  homeward  bound,  had  possibly 
made  phenomenal  time,  and  Willett,  probably,  was  in 
no  hurry.  "  It's  about  his  last  chance  to  have  Mrs. 
Davies  beside  him,"  laughed  Mrs.  Stone,  "so  he's 
making  the  most  of  it."  It  was  12.30  when  at  last 
the  bells  of  the  New  Yorker's  sleigh  were  heard  tink 
ling  faintly  at  the  corner,  and  presently  the  party  came 
slowly  into  view.  Only  three  now,  and  three  silent, 


UNDER  FIRE.  309 

embarrassed  if  not  evidently  agitated  people,  for  they 
seemed  to  whip  up  and  hurry  by  the  little  knot  of 
anxious  faces  gathered  at  the  colonel's  gate. 

"Where's  Mr.  Sanders?"  was  the  cry. 

"  Tell  you  in  a  minute !"  shouted  Willett,  as  he 
drove  straight  by  to  No.  12,  where  he  sprang  out, 
lifted  Mira  from  the  sleigh  and  almost  bore  her  to 
the  gate,  Mrs.  Darling  following.  Already  Mr.  Dar 
ling  was  hastening  up  the  road  to  join  his  wife.  At 
the  door  Willett  simply  had  to  turn  back  to  his 
.spirited  team,  as  they  were  standing  unhitched,  and 
Mrs.  Darling  disappeared  with  Mira  into  the  hall. 

"  Where's  Sanders  ?  What  kept  you  ?"  panted  Dar 
ling,  hastening  up. 

"  Hush  !  Don't  make  any  fuss,"  muttered  Willett. 
"  He  jumped  out  half  a  mile  back.  Some  drunken 
men,  or  soldiers  perhaps,  gave  us  a  little  trouble.  I'm 
going  back  after  him  now." 

"  Hold  on  one  minute  till  I  see  my  wife  and  I'll  go 
with  you,"  sang  out  Darling,  as  he  ran  into  the  house, 
where  Mira  had  sunk  nerveless  into  a  big  chair  and 
was  wildly  imploring  Mrs.  Darling  not  to  leave  her. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

THE  Cranstons  were  ready  to  start  on  the  23d,  but 
nothing  was  in  readiness  at  Mrs.  Davies's.  On  the 
contrary,  that  lovely  and  most  interesting  young  woman 
was,  according  to  her  own  account,  as  transmitted  to 
the  garrison  by  her  now  devoted  friend  and  nurse, 


310  UNDER  FIRE. 

Mrs.  Darling,  in  a  state  of  prostration  and  could  do 
nothing  at  all.  Mr.  Davies  had  been  telegraphed  for 
and  was  coming,  and  Dr.  Rooke  said  she  must  be 
kept  very  quiet  meanwhile, — so  at  least  Mrs.  Darling 
reported  to  sympathetic  friends  who  called  to  inquire 
and  possibly  hoped  to  see.  Bluff  old  Rooke  himself 
was  besieged  with  questions  as  to  his  fair  patient,  the 
nature  of  her  malady  and  the  cause  of  the  sudden 
shock,  and  Rooke  told  some  people  not  to  bother  her, 
others  not  to  bother  him,  and  others  still  not  to  bother 
themselves  about  her.  She'd  come  out  all  right  if  left 
alone.  It  was  Mrs.  Cranston  and  Miss  Loomis  to 
whom  he  delivered  himself  of  the  last  mentioned.  He 
liked  them  both,  which  was  more  than  he  did  most 
people,  for  this  ^Esculapian  countryman  of  Carlyle  had 
much  of  that  eminent  writer's  sharpness  of  vision  and 
bluntness  of  speech  together  with  even  more  of  his 
contempt  for  the  bulk  of  his  fellow-men.  "No,  Mrs. 
Cranston,"  said  he,  "  don't  wait  a  day  for  her.  Start 
just  as  soon  as  you  are  ready,  and  don't  give  a  thought 
to  this  little  flibberty  gibbet."  And  so  the  Cranstons, 
with  Miss  Loomis,  bade  farewell  to  Scott,  and  one 
radiant  winter  morning  drove  buoyantly  away,  almost 
all  of  the  officers  and  ladies  being  out  to  wave  them 
adieu.  Hastings,  with  a  brace  of  troopers,  trotted 
alongside  as  they  crossed  the  Platte  and  reported  the 
camp  wagon  well  on  its  way  to  Dismal  River.  "  I 
never  was  so  glad  to  leave  a  place  in  all  my  life/'  said 
Margaret  to  her  friend,  as  they  glanced  back  from  the 
crest  of  the  distant  ridge  that  spanned  the  northern 
sky.  "  I  never  have  been  at  a  post  where  there  were 
so  few  people  I  cared  for."  The  driver  halted  his 


UNDER  FIRE.  311 

strong  team  at  a  level  spot  after  a  long,  tortuous  climb, 
and  let  the  mules  breathe  a  moment  while  his  passen 
gers  took  their  final  peep  at  the  dim,  dingy  patch,  far 
away  upon  the  southward  slopes  beyond  the  willow- 
fringed  river,  which  indicated  the  site  of  old  Fort 
Scott.  Already  the  snow  had  disappeared  on  many 
an  open  tract  and  lay  deep  only  in  the  ravines  and 
gullies,  on  the  ice  coat  of  the  stream  and  in  the  dense 
undergrowth  of  the  islands.  To  right  and  left  for 
miles  the  broad  valley  lay  beneath  their  eyes,  the  rigid 
line  of  the  railway  cutting  a  sharp,  narrow  slit  across 
the  level  prairie  in  the  lowlands,  straight  away  east 
ward  until  all  was  merged  in  the  misty,  impenetrable 
veil  at  the  horizon,  while  westward  near  the  forks  of 
the  river,  in  long,  graceful  curve,  it  swept  around  an 
elbow  of  the  snow-mantled  stream  and  disappeared 
among  the  roofs  and  spires  of  far-away  Braska.  The 
boys,  with  the  agile  energy  of  their  kind,  had  leaped 
out  to  scamper  about  on  the  rimy  buffalo-grass,  dull 
gray,  dried  and  withered,  yet  full  of  nutriment  for  the 
little  droves  of  horned  cattle  already  browsing  placidly 
along  the  slopes  where  but  a  few  years  before  the  Sioux 
and  Cheyenne  chased  great  herds  of  bison.  Hastings 
and  his  men  were  riding  along  a  hundred  yards  or  so 
in  front,  and  the  two  women  were  left  to  their  own 
low-toned  confidences. 

"  I  cannot  help  it,"  said  Mrs.  Cranston,  "  it  may  be 
uncharitable,  unkind,  but  I  am  simply  glad  she  could 
not  go  with  us.  She  does  not  like  us, — me  at  least. 
She  has  pointedly  avoided  me,  and  I  half  believe  it 
was  to  avoid  going  with  us  that  she  was  taken  ill.  I 
only  hope  Wilbur  will  not  misunderstand  the  matter." 


312  UNDER  FIRE. 

"  I  think  yon  are  unjust,  Margaret,  in  one  tiling  at 
least.  There  was  certainly  some  severe  fright  or  shock 
Saturday  night." 

"Oh,  a  thing  that  might  unstring  a  nervous,  hyster 
ical  woman  a  few  hours,  perhaps,  but  it  is  no  case  of 
nerves  or  hysteria  with  her.  She's  a  perfectly  healthy 
country  girl.  Mrs.  Darling,  who  isn't  thoroughly 
strong  and  well,  seems  to  have  been  very  little 
affected." 

"Mrs.  Darling  has  been  three  years  out  here  and  is 
accustomed  to  frontier  life.  Mrs.  Davies,  probably, 
never  had  such  an  experience  before,  and  she  lias  been 
worried  by  these  queer  incidents  that  Mrs.  Leonard 
tells  us  of, — those  midnight  whistlings  and  tappings 
at  her  window.  Mrs.  Davies  is  alone,  her  husband 
miles  away  at  the  agency.  Everything  has  tended  to 
worry  the  girl.  I  honestly  feel  sorry  for  her,  Mar 
garet.  I'm  sorry  that  she  wouldn't  let  us  be  her 
friends." 

"  You  are  full  of  excuse  for  her,  Agatha,  and  down 
in  the  bottom  of  your  heart  you  know  perfectly  well 
she  doesn't  deserve  it.  I  cannot  forgive  her  for  this 
flirtation  with  Mr.  Willett,  I  only  welcomed  the  idea 
of  taking  her  with  us  because  of  the  hope  it  gave  me 
of  breaking  up  that  affair." 

"  Has  it  never  occurred  to  you  that  she  may  have 
broken  it  off  herself? — that  besides  this  queer  adven 
ture  with  those  drunken  fellows  there  was  something 
else  to  agitate  her?  Be  just,  Margaret,  She  came  to 
us  utterly  inexperienced,  even  ignorant.  She  hasn't 
much  mind,  I'll  admit,  but  she  is  innocent  of  wrong 
intent.  Is  it  not  possible  that  driving  home  he  may 


UNDER   FIRE.  31 S 

have  spoken  to  her  in  a  way  she  could  not  mistake, 
and  that  that  has  had  much  to  do  with  her  prostration  ? 
If  not,  if  she  did  not  then  and  there  forbid  his  coming 
near  her  again,  how  do  you  account  for  it  that  he  has 
not  once  been  out  to  the  fort  since  Saturday?" 

"  Well,  it's  only  three  days,  and  the  sleighing  is 
practically  ended." 

"  Yes,  but  he  hasn't  let  forty-eight  hours  pass 
hitherto  without  a  visit,  so  I'm  told,  and  he  has  his 
buggy  and  wagon,  and  unless  there  was  a  rupture  of 
some  kind  was  it  not  more  than  likely  he  would  be  out 
Sunday  or  Monday?  Wasn't  it  the  proper  thing, 
really,  for  him  to  call  and  inquire  for  her?" 

But  here  the  Concord  rattled  on  again,  the  boys 
playing  "giant  strides"  hanging  to  the  boot  at  the 
back,  and  the  driver,  poking  his  head  around  the 
canvas  wind-screen  at  the  front,  called  out  to  Mrs. 
Cranston,  "  There's  two  of  our  fellowrs  coming  a  couple 
of  miles  ahead,  mum."  And  both  ladies  leaned  from 
the  wagon  to  strain  their  eyes  in  vain  effort  to  dis 
tinguish  the  forms  and  faces  of  the  distant  party, 
Margaret  half  hoping  that  her  soldier  husband  might 
have  been  able  to  stretch  a  point  and  ride  far  down 
to  meet  her,  Miss  Loomis  half  divining  who  it  must 
be,  and  it  was  Miss  Loomis  who  was  right.  Fifteen 
minutes  further  and  the  Concord  halted  again,  and 
Mr.  Hastings,  with  Davies  at  his  side,  rode  up  to  the 
open  door. 

Even  at  a  glance  one  could  see  how  much  he  wras 

changed  in  the  service  of  those   two  months.     The 

lines  about  his  clear,  thoughtful  eyes   had  deepened 

and  his  face  was  thinner,  despite  the  full,  heavy,  close- 

o  27 


314  UNDER  FIRE. 

cropped  beard,  but  there  was  no  mistaking  the  joy 
with  which  he  met  and  welcomed  his  friends  and 
nurses  of  that  long  autumn's  convalescence.  He 
whipped  off  his  gauntlets  and  flung  them  at  Louis's 
head,  as  the  boys  came  dancing  about  his  horse,  and 
then  extended  both  hands  in  eager  greeting  to  Mrs. 
Cranston,  who  was  nearest  him,  and  who  frankly 
grasped  and  shook  them  in  hearty,  cordial  fashion. 

"  Oh,  how  glad  I  am  to  see  you  !"  she  cried.  "  We 
thought  to  meet  you  at  our  first  camp  I  had  no  idea 
you  could  come  so  fast."  And  by  this  time  she  had 
released  his  hands  and  he  was  bending  farther  in  to 
extend  the  right  to  Miss  Loomis,  who  welcomed  him 
with  friendly  warmth,  yet  with  that  womanly  reserve 
which  seemed  never  separable  from  her. 

"  We  did  not  stop  at  the  Niobrara,"  said  he.  "We 
came  right  through  and  camped  at  Dismal  River  late 
last  night.  "  Did  you  see  Mrs.  Davies  this  morning? 
How  did  you  leave  her?"  he  asked,  with  grave  anxiety. 

"  We  left  her  very  comfortable.  Dr.  Rooke  said 
there  was  no  occasion  whatever  for  anxiety,"  answered 
Mrs.  Cranston,  tactfully  evading  the  question  as  to 
"  seeing  her,"  and  then,  fearful  lest  he  should  be 
moved  to  repeat  it,  plunging  impetuously  ahead. 
"  She  was  looking  so  bright  and  well,  so  lovely  in  fact, 
that  none  of  us  were  prepared  for  her  being  ill.  Of 
course  you'll  hear  all  about  the  excitement  and  ad 
venture  they  met  with,  so  I  won't  speak  of  it  now. 
In  deed,  you  know,  we  hardly  know  anything  more 
about  it  ourselves  than  you  do,  for  both  Mrs.  Davies 
and  Mrs.  Darling  saw  so  little  of  what  followed  the 
first  appearance  of  the  fellows.  Mr.  Sanders  jumped 


UNDER  FIRE.  315 

right  out  among  them,  it  seems,  and  gave  chase  after 
some  who  ran.  The  one  they  afterwards  captured  was 
one  of  your  recruits,  Paine  by  name,  and  Mr.  Sanders 
can  tell  you  all  about  it  when  he  gets  back.  He  was 
sent  up  to  Cheyenne.  One  or  two  men  who  have  dis 
appeared  entirely  are  the  suspected  ones,  and  he  is  after 
them." 

"  But  I  don't  understand/7  said  Davies,  gravely. 
u  It  seems  incredible  that  even  drunken  soldiers  should 
have  attempted  an  indignity  to  a  party  of  officers  and 
ladies.  Weren't  you  with  them  ?" 

"  No ;  we  were  in  the  midst  of  packing,  you  know, 
and  we  weren't  going  anywhere.  Indeed,  it  was  an 
extraordinary  thing  and  no  one  knows  how  to  account 
for  it,  but  you'll  hear  all  about  it  at  the  fort,  and  I 
know  you  are  eager  to  push  ahead,  and  we'll  see  you 
so  soon  at  the  Ogallalla,  so  just  tell  me  how  you  left 
my  husband  and  you  may  gallop  on." 

How  blithe  and  radiant  was  her  face  as  she  spoke  ! 
How  could  he  suspect  the  dread  that  lurked  behind  it, — 
the  artfulness  of  her  effort  to  escape  further  questioning? 

"The  captain's  as  well  as  ever  and  counting  the 
hours  until  your  coming,"  he  answered.  "  How  thank 
ful  I  am,  for  my  wife's  sake  as  well  as  my  own,  that 
you  and  Miss  Loomis  are  to  be  so  near  us  !  Think  of 
our  having  a  house  while  the  rest  of  you  live  in  log 
huts !  But  if  any  sub  would  exchange  with  me  I'd 
gladly  give  him  the  agency  guard  and  the  house  and 
come  and  live  in  cantonments."  Then  with  a  parting 
shake  of  the  hand  he  waved  them  on.  The  driver 
cracked  his  whip,  the  boys  scrambled  aboard,  and  away 
they  went  bowling  on  northward,  while  Davies  and 


316  UNDER  FIRE. 

his  single  orderly  turned  again  their  horses'  heads  to 
the  welcome  awaiting  them  at  Scott. 

Margaret  sank  back  in  her  seat  with  flattering  heart 
and  a  deep  sigh  of  relief.  "Thank  heaven,  that's 
over,  and  I  have  told  nothing  of  any  consequence, 
have  I  ?"  she  murmured  to  her  silent  friend.  "  What 
will  he  say  or  think  when  he  learns  the  truth  ?  But 
you  were  saying  Mr.  Willett  had  not  reappeared.  For 
that  matter  neither  had  Mr.  Burtis  nor  Mr.  Langston. 
I  believe  they'll  all  be  out  to  the  fort  this  very  day. 
Mr.  Langston  thought  we  were  not  to  start,  you  know, 
until  to-morrow." 

No  answer  to  this  observation.  Miss  Loomis  was 
quite  well  aware  of  the  fact  and  had  been,  for  her,  an 
eager  advocate  of  the  earlier  start  the  moment  it  was 
declared  that  Almira  could  not  attempt  to  move. 

"I  didn't  fib,  did  I?"  asked  Mrs.  Cranston,  after  a 
moment  of  deep  thought. 

"  No  ;  you  managed  to  control  the  examination  quite 
successfully  without  it." 

But  people  at  Scott  that  afternoon  were  less  skilful 
or  less  fortunate.  Arriving  nearly  ten  hours  earlier 
than  he  was  expected,  Mr.  Davies  dismounted  at  his 
quarters  and,  tossing  the  reins  to  his  orderly,  quickly 
and  noiselessly  entered.  He  expected  to  find  his  wife 
an  invalid  in  a  darkened  chamber.  He  strode  in  upon 
a  cosey  little  party  at  luncheon,  Almira  presiding  at 
the  tea  things  in  a  most  becoming  n&gligfe,  and  Mrs. 
Stone  and  Mrs.  Darling  nibbling  at  the  dainties  set 
before  them,  rising  in  surprise  and  some  confusion  as 
the  young  wife  fluttered  from  her  chair  to  the  arms  of 
her  returned  hero  and  becomingly  precipitated  herself 


UNDER   FIRE.  317 

upon  bis  breast.  The  visitors  managed  to  retire  soon 
after  luncheon  was  over,  despite  Almira's  evident  de 
sire  to  hold  one  or  both  at  her  side,  for  in  that  brief 
quarter  of  an  hour  Davies  learned,  as  the  result  of 
questions  that  presently  became  insistent,  very  much 
to  deepen  the  grave  anxiety  in  his  grave  face,  very 
much  that  made  him  impatient  to  hear  from  other 
witnesses. 

Over  the  interview  between  him  and  his  now  ner 
vous  and  fluttering  wife  we  need  not  linger.  She  read 
disapproval,  even  distrust  in  his  eyes,  in  his  grave, 
deep  tones,  and  all  the  prostration  of  the  three  days 
previous  showed  forcible  symptoms  of  immediate  re 
turn.  She  knew  she  was  going  to  be  wretchedly  ill 
again;  she  must  have  Mrs.  Darling  and  Dr.  Rooke. 
Oh,  why  had  they  taken  Dr.  Burroughs  away?  he 
was  so  much  nicer,  and  Barnickel  should  go  for  Dr. 
Rooke  at  once ;  and  Barnickel,  who  was  unpacking  the 
lieutenant's  saddle-bags  and  blanket  roll,  said  he  knew 
the  doctor  had  gone  to  town  and  there  was  no  one  but 
the  steward  about.  Mr.  Sanders  was  just  back,  said 
he,  and  some  gentlemen  from  town  with  him ;  whereat 
Almira  started  nervously  and  with  fear  in  her  face, 
and  Davies  took  his  cap  and,  presently,  his  leave. 

"  I  will  ask  Mrs.  Darling  to  come  to  you  at  once," 
he  said,  gently,  "  but  I  must  go  and  see  Mr.  Sanders." 
He  stooped  and  kissed  her  flushed  forehead  and  then 
turned  slowly  away.  The  instant  he  closed  the  hall 
door  behind  him  she  crept  to  the  parlor  window, 
watching  him  as  he  walked  rapidly  westward  along 
the  row ;  then,  slipping  the  bolt,  she  flew  back  to  her 
room,  searching  in  the  bureau  drawer  an  instant,  drew 

27* 


318  UNDER  FIRE. 

forth  two  or  three  little  notes,  tied  with  silken  ribbon, 
also  a  bunch  of  faded  violets.  The  next  instant  notes 
and  violets  were  blazing  in  the  parlor  base-burner. 

Davies  went  straight  to  Sanders's  quarters.  It  was 
then  only  a  little  after  two  and  no  one  happened  to  be 
visible  along  the  row.  Over  at  the  barracks  and  office 
there  was  the  customary  drowsy  silence  that  followed 
the  mid-day  meal  of  men  who  had  to  be  up  with  the 
dawn,  and  at  stables,  drill,  or  exercise  until  the  noon 
recall.  But  Mrs.  Stone  had  hurried  home  to  her 
colonel  and  told  him  of  Davies' s  arri\Tal,  and  the 
colonel  was  eager  to  see  him.  Mrs.  Darling  had  simi 
larly  warned  her  consort,  and  Darling  was  as  eager  to 
dodge. 

"Lieutenant  Sanders  has  gone  to  report  to  Captain 
Devers,"  said  the  striker  who  answered  Davies's  ring, 
and  Davies  said  he  would  come  in  and  wait  until  his 
return.  He  wanted  to  get  by  himself  and  quietly 
think  over  Almira's  fragmentary  and  reluctant  account 
and  admissions  concerning  this  supper- party  at  Braska. 
He  threw  himself  into  Sanders's  big  arm-chair  drawn 
up  in  front  of  the  stove,  and  leaned  his  head  on  his 
thin,  white  hand.  Trooper  Hurley,  Sanders's  striker, 
acting  under  his  usual  instructions,  presently  reap 
peared  with  a  decanter  of  whiskey,  glasses,  sugar,  and 
spoon  on  a  tray.  "  We're  all  torn  up,  sir,  packing  the 
lieutenant's  traps  for  the  move,  but  here's  everything 
but  bitters,  or  lemon,  and  I  can  get  them  in  a  moment, 
sir." 

Davies  wearily  thanked  him,  but  waved  the  proffered 
refreshment  aside.  Hurley  deposited  his  tray  on  the 
table  close  to  the  lieutenant's  elbow  and  tiptoed  out. 


JXDER   FIRE.  319 

"  Did  Mr.  Sanders  say  he'd  come  back  here  ?"  called 
the  visitor. 

"  No,  sir,"  said  Hurley,  poking  his  head  back  in  the 
door-way  ;  "  but  he  will,  sir.  He  was  sent  for  by  Cap 
tain  Devers  before  he  had  been  ten  minutes  in  the  post, 
and  he  went  as  soon  as  he  could  change  his  clothes  and 

O 

get  into  uniform.  Mr.  Darling  run  in  here  just  a  few 
moments  ago  after  him,  but  he  was  gone.  Mr.  Willett 
fetched  him  out  from  town,  sir,  along  with  some  other 
gentlemen.  They  went  over  to  the  store." 

"I'll  wait  a  few  minutes,"  said  Davies.  So  Hurley 
hospitably  brought  the  late  papers  and  placed  them 
within  reach. 

"  There's  pipes  and  tobacco  if  the  lieutenant  would 
like  to  smoke,  and  I'll  be  in  the  back  room,  sir, 
packing." 

"  Did  you  hear  whether  Mr.  Sanders  had  succeeded 
in  arresting  the  other  men?" 

"  No,  sir,  he  didn't.  They  couldn't  be  found  and 
hadn't  been  heard  of  in  Cheyenne,  but  Mr.  Sanders  said 
they  had  bought  their  tickets  for  there,  and  that  they 
were  on  the  train  as  far  as  Sidney  anyhow.  I  heard 
him  say  that.  They  were  a  bad  lot,  sir,  them  two 
fellows,  especially  Howard.  The  men  in  '  A*  Troop 
say  he  made  many  a  ball  for  Paine  to  throw,  and  that 
he  was  the  one  that  was  always  making  trouble  for 
Brannan." 

Davies  bowed  silently.  He  remembered  Howard 
well  all  through  the  long  dismal  summer,  one  of  the 
very  "  likeliest  looking"  of  the  recruits,  at  first  glance, 
and  almost  the  only  one  of  the  lot  whom  Captain 
Devers  seemed  to  fancy,  yet  Davies  was  surprised, 


320  UNDER  FIRE. 

when  he  rejoined  after  his  sick-leave,  to  find  him  in 
the  troop  office  instead  of  the  drill  squad.  All  through 
the  regiment  the  story  had  gone  the  rounds  of  how 
Sanders  had  arrested  him  on  the  train  in  "cits"  and 
evident  intent  to  desert,  and  how  Devers  had  ordered 
his  release,  virtually  assuming  responsibility  for  the 
entire  affair,  and  no  man  could  account  for  Devers's 
action  in  the  matter  except  that  it  was  Devers's,  and 
therefore  hound  to  be  different  from  that  which  any 
other  officer  would  have  taken. 

And  it  was  Howard  who,  this  time  at  least,  had 
deserted  for  good,  taking  with  him  a  garrison  ne'er- 
do-weel  whose  going  was  only  a  good  riddance,  and 
leaving  as  a  captive  in  the  hands  of  Lieutenant  San 
ders  the  luckless  Paine,  now  languishing  in  the  guard 
house,  while,  under  the  orders  of  a  nervous  and  evi 
dently  anxious  post  commander,  parties  were  searching 
everywhere  for  the  other  two. 

From  the  somewhat  garbled  and  excited  account 
given  by  the  ladies  at  the  luncheon- table,  Davies  had 
been  able  to  gather  only  these  particulars, — that,  as 
the  second  sleigh  was  coming  along,  oh,  just  a  little 
distance  behind  Colonel  Stone's,  and  as  they  rounded  a 
sharp  turn  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  islands,  a  brilliant 
light  flashed  from  the  bank,  so  close  to  the  horses  that 
they  shied  violently,  nearly  toppling  Mrs.  Davies  out, 
and  in  this  flash  they  distinctly  saw  the  face  and  form 
of  a  tall  young  man  in  dark  slouch  hat  and  civilian 
clothes,  and  the  expression  on  his  face  was  so  wicked, 
and  he  was  so  ghastly  pale  that  it  looked  like  an  ap 
parition,  and  Mrs.  Davies  screamed  and  nearly  fainted 
from  the  fright  and  shock,  and  Mr.  Willett,  who  was 


I  \\DER   FIRE.  321 

driving,  made  a  furious  cut  at  the  fellow  with  his 
whip,  and  then  as  the  horses  tore  away  in  fright  the 
occupants  of  the  sleigh  had  just  time  to  catch  a  glimpse 
of  some  soldier  overcoats,  and  when  at  last  Mr.  Willett 
regained  control  of  his  horses,  Mrs.  Darling  cried  out 
that  they  must  go  back  for  Mr.  Sanders.  He  had 
leaped  right  out  among  those  brutes,  and  she  was  sure 
she  had  heard  shots.  Mrs.  Davies  admitted  that  here 
she  protested  against  going  back,  so  terribly  was  she 
frightened,  but  Mrs.  Darling  said  that  they  must  do 
so  and  Willett  said  that  they  must,  and  go  they  did, 
only  to  find  the  spot  abandoned.  Even  when  Willett 
called  for  Sanders  there  was  no  answer,  and  then  they 
were  dreadfully  alarmed  for  fear  he  had  met  with 
violence,  and  Mrs.  Darling  took  the  reins  while  Wil 
lett  searched,  and  Mrs.  Davies,  as  she  admitted,  cow 
ered  under  the  buffalo  robe,  and  then,  all  on  a  sudden, 
they  heard  the  sound  of  angry  voices,  heard  some  one 
furiously  denouncing  Mr.  Willett  for  lashing  a  gentle 
man  with  his  whip,  heard  Willett  curse  the  stranger 
for  flashing  a  match  purposely  to  frighten  his  horses, 
— some  sneering  reply  to  the  effect  that  a  man  had  a 
right  to  light  a  cigar  011  a  public  road,  then  Willett's 
voice  calling  the  man  a  liar,  then  heavy  blows  and 
scuffle,  and  then  Sanders  came  running  up  the  road 
just  in  time,  for  the  stranger  had  Mr.  Willett  down  in 
the  snow  and  was  throttling  him.  He  sprang  up  and 
dashed  into  the  willows  the  instant  he  heard  Sanders's 
voice,  and  that  was  the  last  seen  of  him,  for  Sanders's 
first  care  was  for  the  civilian,  who  was  bruised  and 
choked,  but,  after  all,  not  seriously  hurt.  He  helped 
Willett  back  to  his  seat,  bade  him  drive  the  ladies  at 


322  UNDER  FIRE. 

once  to  the  fort,  but  said  he  was  going  after  those 
marauders,  for  two  at  least  Avere  soldiers.  That  was 
all.  When  Willett  and  Mr.  Darling  drove  back  they 
found  that  he  had  captured  Paine,  too  drunk  to  run 
well,  and  that  the  others  were  gone.  Next  morning 
Trooper  Howard  was  reported  absent,  and  that  settled 
the  identity  of  the  man  in  civilian  dress.  Mr.  Willett 
had  not  been  out  at  the  post  since  the  affair  simply 
because  he  was  nursing  a  black  eye  and  a  sprained 
thumb. 

What  Mrs.  Darling  and  Mrs.  Stone  couldn't  under 
stand  was  what  could  possibly  have  prompted  the  man 
Howard  to  stand  right  on  that  little  bank,  close  to  the 
track,  and  there  flash  his  phosphorus  match.  He  must 
have  known  it  would  scare  the  horses  even  if  it  did 
not  terrify  the  people.  It  was  a  reckless,  diabolical 
thing  to  do,  and  then  to  think  of  his  daring  to  strike 
and  beat  Mr.  Willett  afterwards.  Mrs.  Darling  was 
full  of  indignation  at  his  conduct ;  Mira  was  agitated, 
but  had  little  to  say.  She  was  thinking  of  the  cross- 
questioning  that  was  inevitable  when  her  supporters 
were  gone. 

And  now,  sitting  there  in  Sanders's  easy-chair,  Da- 
vies  was  pondering  over  all  that  he  had  been  told  at 
the  table,  and  the  little  that  he  had  wrung  from  her 
reluctant  lips,  putting  them  together  with  the  frequent 
questions  asked  him  by  the  few  women  who  had  joined 
their  husbands  at  the  cantonment, — questions  so  fre 
quent  and  persistent  as  to  whether  he  often  heard  from 
his  wife,  and  wasn't  she  soon  coming,  very  soon,  to  join 
him,  that  even  to  his  unsuspicious  nature  they  carried  a 
significance  he  could  not  down,  and  now  it  seemed  that 


UNDER   FIRE.  323 

Alniira  had  gone  with  a  gay  party  to  a  supper  and 
dance  in  town  at  a  time  when  he  supposed  that  she 
was  spending  her  hours  with  his  friends,  the  Crans- 
tons,  or  in  quiet  and  seclusion  at  her  home.  There, 
at  least,  he  showed  his  inexperience,  for  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten  the  friends  the  newly-arrived  wife  is  surest 
to  fancy  in  garrison  are  not  those  whose  praises  her 
lord  has  been  sounding  for  six  months  ahead.  Of  the 
hops  and  dances  and  drives  that  had  preceded  this 
eventful  evening  he  had  as  yet,  mirabile  dictu,  heard 
nothing  beyond  Mira's  own  meagre  account.  In  fact, 
he  had  no  idea  of  them  at  all. 

He  was  worn  and  weary  after  the  long,  hard  eighty- 
mile  ride.  The  fire  was  warm,  the  room  still  and 
peaceful ;  no  sound  broke  the  silence  but  Hurley's 
occasional  step  and  soft  whistle  out  in  the  "  linter"  at 
the  rear  where  lay  his  packing-boxes.  Possibly  Davies 
may  have  become  drowsy,  dreamy,  as  he  reclined  there. 
At  all  events  he  never  moved  as  a  quick,  nervous  step 
came  bounding  across  the  veranda  and  into  the  hall. 
The  door  burst  open  and  a  voice,  surely  a  little  tremu 
lous  and  agitated,  spoke  low  and  quickly. 

"  Where  are  you,  Sanders  ?  Oh,  say,  will  you  do 
me  a  favor?  I  can't — at  least  I  don't  want  these 
other  women  to  know.  Was  there  ever  such  a  streak 
of  hell's  luck  as  this?  He's  home.  I've  got  to  go. 
Will  you  see  that  Mrs.  Davies  gets  this  before  to 
night?'7 

And  in  the  dim  light  of  the  little  bachelor  den, 
Percy  Davies,  slowly  turning,  was  aware  of  a  stylishly- 
dressed,  handsome  young  civilian,  whose  face,  though 
pale  and  apparently  bruised,  was  vaguely  familiar  to 


324  UNDER   FIRE. 

him,  in  whose  outstretched  hand  was  a  little  box- 
shaped  packet.  Just  then  another  step  came  bounding 
into  the  hall-way,  into  the  room,  and  the  lawful  occu 
pant  of  the  quarters  halted  short  at  sight  of  the  two  tall, 
slender  forms  confronting  each  other,  one  that  of  the 
civilian,  slowly  recoiling  toward  the  door  with  twitch 
ing,  tremulous  hands,  and  a  face  livid  as  death,  the 
other,  in  cavalry  undress,  with  bearded,  haggard  face, 
deeply  lined,  under  whose  heavy,  bushy,  overhanging 
brows  a'pair  of  blue  eyes  were  blazing.  For  a  moment 
not  a  word  was  spoken,  then  Davies  broke  the  silence. 

"  Sanders,  this  gentleman  wishes  you  to  see  that  that 
package  is  promptly  delivered  to  my  wife,  and  I 
should  be  glad  to  see  you  as  soon  as  possible  at  my 
quarters." 

Not  until  the  speaker  had  coolly  stepped  past  them 
both  and  out  of  the  room  had  Sanders  recovered  suffi 
cient  presence  of  mind  to  sing  out,  "All  right,  old 
man  ;  I'll  come."  Then,  as  the  outer  door  closed  after 
the  retiring  officer,  he  whirled  on  Willett. 

"  You  inveterate  ass  !  How  dare  you  haul  me  into 
this?" 


CHAPTER    XXIII. 

AMO:NTG  the  gentlemen  from  Braska  visiting  the  post 
that  afternoon  was  Mr.  Langstou,  who  drove  thither 
full  of  eager  anticipation,  and  hailed  the  first  glimpse 
of  the  bright  hues  of  the  flag  with  a  thrill  of  hope 
and  joy.  No  spot  in  all  God's  green  earth  at  that 
moment  held  in  his  eyes  such  vivid  charm  and  interest. 


FOR  A  MOMENT  NOT   A   WORD   WAS  SPOKEN.' 


Page  324. 


UNDER  FIRE.  325 

Ten  minutes  later  no  spot  in  all  the  world  seemed  so 
barren  and  desolate.  The  sunshine,  the  sailing  clouds 
in  the  vault  of  blue,  the  chasing  shadows  along  the 
slopes,  the  streaming  colors  of  blue  and  white  and 
scarlet  at  the  tip  of  the  swaying  staff,  the  glint  and 
sparkle  of  the  accoutrements  of  the  guard,  the  gaudy 
lining  of  the  troopers'  capes,  were  absolutely  unaltered, 
yet  the  light  had  gone  from  his  eyes — following  the 
trail  to  the  far  Ogallalla.  To  him  who  loves  a  woman 
with  all  his  heart  there  is  more  beauty  in  a  mud- 
chinked  hovel  in  a  frontier  fort  where  she  may  dwell 
than  in  all  "  the  castled  crags"  of  storied  Rhineland  or 
the  cloud-capped  towers  and  gorgeous  palaces  among 
the  mirror  lakes  of  Alpine  Italy. 

Langston  learned  of  the  departure  five  minutes  after 
he  reached  the  post,  and  lost  all  further  interest  in  the 
day.  He  said  he  would  "  loaf"  at  the  club  room  until 
Burtis  and  Willett  got  through  their  calls,  which,  said 
they,  would  occupy  some  hours, — two  or  three  at 
least.  Indeed,  Willett  "didn't  know  but  what  he 
might  stay  out  with  Sanders  overnight"  and  let  Bur 
tis  "  tool  the  trap"  back  to  Braska  when  he  got 
ready.  When,  therefore,  in  less  than  forty  minutes 
Willett's  team  was  reported  being  hurriedly  harnessed 
in  the  post  trader's  corral  and  that  gentleman  himself 
came  bustling  in  with  a  pale,  scared  face  that  inten 
sified  the  blue  blotch  under  his  eye,  Langston  was 
astonished.  He  was  listlessly  turning  over  the  leaves 
of  a  magazine  at  the  moment  and  seeking  solace  in  a 
cigar.  Willett  looked  nervously  about  him,  bade  the 
attendant  bring  him  some  brandy  and  soda,  and  threw 
himself  into  a  chair  in  front  of  the  stove. 

28 


326  UNDER  FIRE. 

"You  look  used  up,  Willett,"  said  the  elder. 
"What's  the  matter?  Seen  anything  more  of  your 
midnight  antagonist  ?" 

"  No,  by  heaven !  I  wish  I  had.  I  believe  the 
devil  himself  has  gone  in  league  with  the  gang  at  this 
garrison.  I  never  knew  such  a  string  of  mishaps  in 
all  my  life.  Say,  are  you  ready  to  go  back  ?" 

"  Any  time ;  but  I  thought  you  wanted  to  stay." 

"  Oh,  so  did  you  when  you  came  out,  Langston,  and 
now  you  don't,  and  I'm  simply  in  the  same  boat." 

The  attendant  brought  him  a  tall  glass  and  poured 
the  soda  hissing  into  the  brandy.  Willett  drank 
eagerly,  then  started  for  the  door.  "  Come,  then/'  he 
called  ;  "the  trap's  ready — or  ought  to  be."  Langston 
knew  it  was  not,  so  temporized. 

"How  about  Burtis?"  he  asked. 

"  Burtis  ?  Oh,  I  don't  know  or  care.  He  can  get 
back  just  the  best  way  he  knows  how.  There's  an 
ambulance  coming  over  to  town  to-night." 

"  Well,  I  think  you  ought  to  let  him  know,  Willett." 

"  I  have.  I  sent  him  word  by  Sanders,  whom  I  just 
left." 

"Very  well,  then  I'll  go  with  you  now.  Only  stop  one 
minute  at  Sanders's  so  that  I  can  say  good-by  to  him. 
He  goes  back  to  the  agency  to-morrow,  I  believe." 

"  Well,  he  isn't  there.  He's  gone  out  to  pay  a  call. 
Jump  in." 

But  as  they  drove  around  the  level  road  towards  the 
northwest  gate,  and  the  long  line  of  officers'  quarters 
lay  to  their  right  front,  two  officers  could  be  seen  in 
earnest  conversation  at  the  front  gate  of  No.  12,  the 
farthest  away. 


r\DEK   FIRE.  327 

"  There's  Sanders  now,"  said  Langstou.  "  It  won't 
take  you  five  minutes  out  of  your  own  way.  Turn 
over  there,  won't  you  ?" 

"  I  can't.  I — I've  got  to  hurry,  Langston.  If  you 
want  to  see  him  you  can  jump  out,  and  I'll  wait  for 
you  outside  the  gate." 

"  Well,  if  you're  in  a  hurry  that'll  take  much  more 
time  than  if  you  drove.  I'd  have  to  walk  both  ways, 
don't  you  see  ?"  was  the  cool  answer.  "  Never  mind, 
though  ;  go  ahead.  Who's  that  with  Sanders  ?" 

Willett,  who  had  turned  red  with  confusion  at  his 
own  blunder,  turned  redder  at  the  question,  then  went 
gray  again.  "  That's  Lieutenant  Davies,"  said  he, 
briefly. 

"  Oh,  then  he's  home.  Why,  how  I'd  like  to  meet 
him  again  !  Here — just  let  me  out,  will  you  ?  and  you 
go  ahead.  I'll  come  back  with  Burtis." 

"  No ;  come  on  with  me,  Langston.  I'm  in  a  devil 
of  a  fix  and  want  your  advice." 

And  as  they  bowled  swiftly  along  homeward  over 
the  smooth,  hard,  prairie  road,  Langston  admitted  to 
himself,  as  Willett  falteringly  unfolded  his  tale,  that 
the  young  man  was  indeed  "  in  a  devil  of  a  fix," — in 
what  Langston,  who  was  an  old  soldier,  found  it  more 
descriptive  to  say,  a  damnable  fix.  He  pondered  over 
it  a  moment  and  then  said,  "  I  don't  understand  what 
you  want  me  to  do,  Willett,"  and  his  tone  was  very 
cold.  "  I  don't  see  how  I  can  help  you.  From  your 
own  account  you  have  behaved  either  like  a  fool  or  a 
blackguard,  and  what  I  can't  fathom  is  why  Davies's 
commanding  officer,  or  some  friend  or  comrade,  did  not 
warn  you  off  weeks  ago." 


328  UNDER  FIRE. 

Now,  admitting  that  in  the  absence  of  almost  all  his 
comrades  in  the  field,  and  that  it  was  distinctly  his 
duty  to  protect  the  honor  and  interest  of  his  regimental 
comrade,  let  us  see  to  what  extent  Captain  Devers  felt 
disposed  to  exercise  his  prerogative  and  act  against  this 
indisputable  wolf  in  the  sheepfold.  Precedents  he 
did  not  lack.  Everybody  had  heard  how  Colonel 
Athertou,  of  the  — th,  had  served  a  would-be  gallant 
whose  attentions  to  a  lady  of  the  regiment,  during  the 
prolonged  absence  of  her  husband  in  the  field,  had 
become  the  talk  of  a  big  garrison.  Everybody  knew 
how  old  Tintop,  when  he  made  up  his  mind  that 

Lieutenant  B was  becoming  infatuated  with  Mrs. 

Captain  Potiphar,  calmly  recommended  B/s  immedi 
ate  and  indefinite  detail  at  the  Shoshone  Agency,  an 
isolated  nook  in  the  heart  of  the  Wind  River  country 
where  the  mails  got  through  only  once  a  week  in  mid 
winter  and  no  one  but  the  mail  rider  thought  of  trying 
to  get  out.  Colonel  Pegleg,  in  the  days  of  his  original 
wife,  had  taken  a  fatherly  interest  in  garrison  matters, 
and  instituted  a  system  of  post  government  that  was 
almost  patriarchal,  especially  when  most  of  the  men 
were  absent  in  the  field,  but  Mrs.  Stone  the  second  was 
made  of  flimsier  stuff,  and  fond  of  gladness  and 
gayety,  dancing  and  feasting,  and  what  she  termed 
"an  innocent  flirtation"  was  harmless  occupation  so 
long  as  her  own  queendom  was  unimpaired.  There 
can  be  no  question,  however,  that  she  would  long  since 
have  put  her  husband  on  the  trail  of  this  new  dis 
turber  of  the  garrison  peace  but  for  the  illness  that 
followed  Stone's  sudden  prostration.  The  command 
with  its  powers  having  devolved  upon  Devers,  she 


UNDER  FIRE.  329 

could  do  nothing.  It  is  a  hard  thing  for  a  man  to 
find  himself  by  reason  of  illness  suddenly  stripped  of 
the  robe  of  command  and  forced  to  become  only  a  lay 
figure,  but  it  is  harder  yet  to  many  a  woman  whose 
social  powers  were  dependent  mainly  upon  the  rank 
of  her  husband  to  see  herself,  through  his  prostration, 
suddenly  set  aside  as  though  of  only  vicarious  con 
sequence.  Naturally,  Mrs.  Stone  could  not  bear  Cap 
tain  Devers, — few  of  the  women  could, — and  it  was 
only  through  his  own  wife  that  the  gossip  of  the  gar 
rison  was  apt  to  reach  him,  and  Mrs.  Devers  had 
troubles  of  her  own  that  seemed  to  stifle  to  a  great 
extent  her  interest  in  those  of  her  neighbors.  She 
was  neither  young  nor  pretty ;  she  shone  not  in  society 
and  had  no  great  ambition  in  that  direction.  She  had 
seen  Mr.  Willett's  devotions  to  Mrs.  Davies, — as  who 
had  not  ? — but  with  only  languid  interest.  Such  things 
concerned  her  less  than  they  did  those  belles  of  the 
active  list,  who  felt  themselves  thereby  defrauded  of 
attentions  that  had  been  quite  lavishly,  even  if  im 
partially,  bestowed  up  to  the  time  of  Mrs.  Davies's 
dawning  on  the  social  horizon.  Actually,  therefore, 
Captain  Devers  was  not  so  much  to  blame  as  Langston 
thought,  for  of  his  own  regiment  only  one  officer  was 
present  to  advise  him,  and  Hastings's  advice,  as  that 
officer  had  long  since  been  informed,  would  be  asked 
for  when  desired.  In  point  of  fact  only  three  officers 
remained  at  the  post  for  whose  opinions  Devers  enter 
tained  any  respect,  Leonard,  Rooke,  and  the  chaplain, 
and  he  had  quarrelled  with  the  first  and  second,  and 
treated  with  indignity  the  third,  so  that  no  one  of  the 
three  now  felt  disposed  to  confer  with  him  on  any 

28* 


330  UNDER  FIRE. 

subject.  This  would  not  have  deterred  the  chaplain 
in  a  matter  of  duty,  however,  for  that  honest  and  stal 
wart  soldier  of  the  cross  was  as  ready  to  battle  with 
himself  as  he  was  to  take  issue  with  the  devil,  but  the 
chaplain  had  been  absent  for  long  days,  and  returned 
only  when  it  was  supposed  that  Mira  would  be  whisked 
away  to  the  agency  with  the  Cranstons,  and,  safe  in 
Percy's  sheltering  arms,  be  beyond  the  reach  of  harm 
or  temptation. 

There  were  other  reasons,  ho\vever,  for  Devers's 
inaction,  and  grave  ones.  Ever  since  the  ominous 
visit  of  the  staff  officer  from  division  head  quarters 
he  had  felt  that  the  ground  was  caving  beneath  his 
feet.  For  years  had  he  been  skimming  along  on  the 
very  verge  of  serious  trouble,  yet  ever  adroitly  evading 
trial ;  always  incurring  censure,  but  escaping  court- 
martial.  One  after  another  he  had  alienated  or  be 
trayed  every  commander  under  whom  he  had  served. 
One  after  another  he  had  lost  the  respect  of  every 
officer  with  whom  he  associated,  and  now  he  realized 
that  if  the  regiment  could  but  settle  down  somewhere 
for  a  few  months,  there  would  speedily  follow  a 
crystallization  of  the  sentiment  against  him, — a  deposit 
of  all  this  floating  mass  of  testimony  now  apparently 
held  in  solution,  and  the  true  inwardness  of  the  tragedy 
of  Antelope  Springs,  the  falsity  of  his  insinuations 
against  Davies,  the  trickery  of  his  methods,  one  and 
all  be  brought  to  light.  Already,  through  Haney,  he 
heard  .of  the  sensation  created  among  the  men  by  his 
defence  of  Howard,  and  of  the  depth  of  feeling  among 
the  old  hands  against  this  airy  upstart  recruit,  not  a 
year  in  service,  who  frequently  boasted  that  he  had 


UNDER  FIRE.  331 

more  influence  with  "  Cap."  than  all  the  rest  of  them 
put  together.  Haney  himself  could  not  cipher  out  the 
secret  of  Howard's  importance,  and  was  plainly  and 
palpably  jealous.  Ever  since  early  in  the  campaign, 
when  young  Brannan  was  pointed  out  to  Devers  as 
Miss  Loomis's  patient  and  as  a  trooper  who  wanted  to 
get  out  of  "  A"  troop  and  into  "  C," — ever  since  the 
colonel  and  the  major  began  interfering  with  Devers 
because  of  his  open  rebuke  of  Mr.  Da  vies,  it  was 
noticed  that  Howard,  a  mere  raw  recruit,  could  get 
the  captain's  private  ear  at  almost  any  time,  and  those 
were  days  when  a  soldier  was  not  supposed  to  address 
his  company  commander  on  any  point  until  he  had 
first  obtained  the  sanction  of  the  first  sergeant.  Every 
man  in  the  troop  knew  that  soon  after  their  arrival  at 
Scott,  Howard  began  to  get  letters  from  the  East,  and 
some  of  these  contained  money  orders,  which  he  had 
cashed  in  Braska.  Some  men  in  the  troop,  notably 
that  babbling  drunkard  Paine,  declared  that  in  a  little 
strong  box  he  had  brought  with  him  Howard  had 
some  letters  tied  up  in  ribbon  that  he  watched  with 
jealous  care.  "  New  hands"  who  came  out  in  the 
same  batch  of  recruits  said  that  at  St.  Louis  Arsenal, 
whither  they  were  shipped  on  enlistment,  Brannau, 
Howard,  and  Paine  had  at  first  been  very  intimate, 
but  that  some  coldness  had  sprung  up  and  Brannan  kept 
aloof  from  them.  They  were  wild  and  full  of  "  gall/' 
Brannan  was  sad  and  sober.  Howard  used  to  write 
lots  of  letters  then  to  some  girl,  Paine  said,  and  go  off 
and  post  them  in  obscure  letter-boxes  outside  the  gates 
when  he  could  get  leave,  but  he  had  quit  writing  long 
since,  Haney  knew,  for  he  watched  the  new  company 


332  UNDER  FIRE. 

clerk  with  jealous  eyes.  He  knew  and  knew  well 
that  Howard  was  savagely  glad  when  Brannan  was 
sent  to  the  reservation  with  Boynton's  party.  He 
noted  that  Howard  became  of  a  sudden  fitful,  restless, 
sullen,  and  then  reckless  and  negligent  of  his  work 
and  eager  to  go  frequently  to  Braska.  Presently  he 
heard  things  of  him  that  made  him  believe  Howard 
was  contemplating  desertion,  and  no  sooner  had  Lieu 
tenant  Davies  arrived  than  he  became  assured  of  it. 
"  I  had  to  serve  under  that  damned,  canting  Methodist 
preacher,"  said  Howard,  "  and  I  won't  have  him  nosing 
around  where  I  am.  I'll  desert  first."  Now,  Haney 
had  no  objection  to  Howard's  "skipping," — it  would  be 
good  riddance  to  dangerous  timber, — but  he  wanted  first 
to  find  out  what  was  the  secret  of  his  dislike  of  Davies, 
whom  most  of  the  men,  and  all  the  better  ones,  had 
learned  to  respect  and  esteem.  He  plied  Howard  with 
questions,  hints,  suggestions,  and  whiskey,  but  How 
ard's  head,  or  stomach,  was  stronger  than  he  thought, 
and  the  liquor  failed  in  the  short  time  at  his  disposal 
to  overcome  it.  With  a  few  months  the  result  would 
have  been  different.  Howard  once  admitted,  however, 
that  he  hated  the  lieutenant  and  had  reason  to,  but 
that  was  all  that  Haney  ever  wormed  out  of  him,  but 
he  and  others  were  morally  certain  that  Howard  meant 
to  desert  when  the  very  day  of  Paine's  trip  to  Braska 
the  company  clerk  disappeared.  They  counted  on  his 
court-martial  and  downfall  when  brought  back  to  the 
post  in  "cits"  by  Sanders's  squad.  They  were  amazed 
at  the  abortive  outcome  of  the  affair,  and  then  at  last 
the  gang  that  "  had  stood  in  with"  the  first  sergeant  as 
the  surest  means  of  keeping  on  the  right  side  of  the 


UNDER  FIRE.  333 

captain  began  to  realize  that  here  was  a  man  with 
more  "  pull"  than  Haney,  and  the  latter,  feeling  his 
influence  going,  determined  that  the  time  had  come  to 
regain  it,  cost  what  it  might.  He  knew  beyond  per- 
adventure  who  was  the  mysterious  night  prowler,  knew 
why  Captain  Devers  had  ordered  Paine  to  watch  Bran- 
nan  in  hospital,  he  knew  why,  or  believed  he  knew 
why,  the  captain  was  so  down  on  Brannan  and  so 
fiercely  bent  on  breaking  him  or  driving  him  out. 
He  knew  that  he  could,  if  he  would,  lay  before  Mr. 
Leonard  certain  damaging  facts  in  connection  with 
Brannan's  two  relapses  into  drinking,  and  of  Paine' s 
detail  to  town  that  day  when  he  was  needed,  as  they 
knew  he  would  be  needed,  at  the  adjutant's  office.  He 
required  just  one  or  two  links  more  to  make  a  chain 
so  powerful  he  could  twist  his  troop  commander  in  its 
coils  and  dictate  the  terms  of  their  future  relations, 
but  he  needed  Howard's  testimony  to  complete  the 
chain,  and  the  liquor  with  which  he  tempted  him,  in 
and  out  of  the  office,  at  last  began  to  take  effect. 
Howard  was  getting  more  and  more  reckless,  sullen, 
savage.  He  would  get  up  at  night  and  drink  and 
dress  and  slip  out  of  barracks  and  be  gone  an  hour 
sometimes,  yet  so  stealthy  was  he  that  when  Haney 
strove  to  trail  him  he  turned  on  him  like  a  tiger  and 
damned  him  for  a  spy,  and  still  the  sergeant  felt  that 
perseverance  and  whiskey  would  bring  him  triumph 
yet,  when  all  on  a  sudden  came  the  dramatic  episode 
of  that  still  Saturday  night, — the  flash  that  revealed 
him  for  one  instant  to  the  frightened  revellers  in  Wil- 
lett's  sleigh  and  then  covered  his  track  in  shadows 
impenetrable.  All  on  a  sudden  Howard  had  vanished, 


334  UNDER  FIRE. 

— deserted  in  earnest  this  time,  leaving  his  first  ser 
geant  in  a  tangle  of  unfinished  toils  and  his  captain  in 
sore  anxiety.  It  was  the  contemplation  of  his  own 
meshes  that  blinded  Devers  to  those  which  Willett 
would  have  thrown  over  Mira's  pretty,  curly,  empty 
head. 

The  conversation  between  Sanders  and  Davies  was 
very  brief  and  decidedly  grave.  Sanders  had  at  first 
assumed  the  light  air  of  superiority  of  the  old  cadet 
toward  the  plebe,  and,  to  head  off  questioning,  plunged 
into  that  species  of  deprecatory  and  officious  advice 
which  is  generally  prefaced  by,  "  Now,  my  dear  boy, 
let  me  as  a  friend,"  etc.,  etc.  Like  the  chaplain's  wife, 
Sanders  started  with  the  best  intentions,  and  just  as 
she  had  excited  Mira's  resentment  so  had  Sanders 
aroused  Davies's  wrath. 

"Stop  right  there,  Sanders,  and  say  nothing  about 
friendship  until  you  explain  that  scene.  Where  is  the 
packet  you  were  asked  to  deliver  to  my  wife  ?" 

"  I  haven't  it.  I  wouldn't  touch  it.  You  don't 
'suppose  I'd  be  a  party  to  such  a  thing.  The  man  was 
an  ass  to  ask  me,  and  I  told  him  so." 

"  He  doubtless  reasoned  that  a  man  who  could  ac 
company  the  wife  of  a  brother  officer  to  a  place  of 
such  miscellaneous  character  as  Cresswell's  would  not 
be  above  carrying  secretly  to  her  that  which  he  dare 
not  send  openly." 

"  He  had  no  right  to  judge  by  it,  Davies  !  Lots  of 
ladies  go  there, — and  Mrs.  Stone  matron! zed  us." 

"  No  ladies  of  our  regiment  have  ever  gone  there, 
Sanders,  until  you  accompanied  my  wife, — an  inex 
perienced  and  ignorant  child.  What  Mrs.  Stone  or 


UNDER  FIRE.  335 

her  associates  may  have  seen  fit  to  do  is  no  concern  of 
mine.  You  know  and  I  know  that  women  like  Mrs. 
Cranston,  like  Mrs.  Truman,  like  Mrs.  Leonard  or 
Mrs.  Wright  would  not  go  there  under  any  circum 
stances,  and  the  fact  that  a  party  of  women  from  the 
fort  was  in  one  room  simply  served  to  attract  a  party 
of — very  different  women  to  the  next." 

"  Then  I'll  bust  Cresswell's  head  for  him  inside  of 
twenty-four  hours,"  exclaimed  Sanders.  "The  idea 
of  his  daring  to  allow  such  people  in  there  at  such  a 
time !" 

"  The  idea  of  your  not  standing  my  friend — you, 
the  only  fellow-graduate  of  my  regiment  here  at  the 
post — and  preventing  my  wife's  being  taken  there  at 
any  time.  Think  of  that,  Sanders." 

"  Why,  damn  it,  Parson,  don't  be  so  brutally  unjust. 
I  supposed  if  you  cared  a  rap  you'd  have  stopped  it 
before." 

"  Stopped  it  before  ?  Why,  Sanders,  what  are  you 
saying?  You  don't  mean  she — my  wife — had  been 
there  before?"  And  all  the  indignation  had  gone 
from  Davies's  face.  It  was  now  white,  almost  awe- 
stricken. 

For  a  moment  Sanders  knew  not  what  to  say.  All 
at  once  there  dawned  upon  him  the  realization  that 
now  through  him,  in  this  utterly  untoward,  clumsy, 
miserable  way,  was  Davies  for  the  first  time  being 
made  aware  of  what  common,  every -day  rumor  said 
of  his  wife.  He  would  have  cut  his  tongue  out  rather 
than  wilfully  put  in  circulation  a  word  of  scandal,  yet 
it  had  been  reserved  for  him  to  bring  to  a  husband's 
ears  the  first  ill-omened  tidings  of  a  wife's  misdoing. 


336  UNDER   FIRE. 

"God  forgive  me,  Davies,  if  I've  blundered !"  he 
burst  out  at  last.  "  I'll  never  forgive  myself.  I  sup 
posed — they  all  talked  of  it  so  fully — freely  together 
— I  supposed  you  knew  all  about  it.  I  never  dreamed 
of  harm  in  it.  Mrs.  Flight — or  rather  Mrs.  Darling 
and  she  together — occasionally  went  there,  and  the 
other  ladies  had  their  husbands  as  a  rule,  or  at  least 
sometimes,  and  there  was  good  sleighing,  you  know, 
between  here  and  town,  and  absolutely  nowhere  else 
were  the  roads  beaten.  They  sort  of  had  to  go  there, 
don't  you  see?" 

"  Go  there  with  whom  ?"  said  Davies,  grasping  the 
rail  of  the  fence  and  breathing  hard. 

"  Why,  with  Willett,  of  course ;  he  was  the  only 
fellow  that  had  a  good  turnout.  He  used  to  come  for 
them,  I  believe,  and  sometimes  he  had  Mrs.  Darling 
and  Mrs.  Davies — he  and  Burtis — and  sometimes  Mrs. 
Flight." 

"  And  do  you  mean  that  they — that  these  four,  went 
there  to  CresswelPs  ?  Do  you  know  this,  Sanders  ?" 

"Well,"  said  Sanders,  "they  were  all  talking  and 
laughing  about  it,  never  dreaming  of  anything  harmful 
or  unbecoming.  Why,  Parson,  old  man,  you  mustn't 
be  too  strait-laced  out  here.  You  know  it's  the  way 
of  the  West." 

But  Davies  threw  out  his  hand  as  though  imploring 
silence,  seemed  about  to  speak  again  and  ask  another 
question,  but  finally  turned  without  another  word,  and 
leaving  Sanders  standing  dejectedly  at  the  gate,  re- 
entered  his  hall  and  closed  the  door  behind  him. 


UNDER  FIRE,  337 


CHAPTER    XXIV. 

THAT  night  Dr.  Rooke  called  twice  at  No.  12, 
and  went  away  both  times  saying  opprobrious  things 
about  his  fellow-men  and  women.  The  chaplain,  who 
had  gone  over  to  see  Davies  about  three  o'clock,  pres 
ently  went  back  for  his  wife,  and  that  good-hearted 
woman  remained  until  late  at  night.  Mrs.  Darling 
coming  over  in  the  early  evening  to  congratulate  dear 
Mira  again  on  her  husband's  return  and  invite  them 
both  to  dinner  on  the  morrow,  was  met  by  Davies 
himself  at  the  door,  but  not  invited  in.  Her  sweet 
smiles  and  words  of  greeting  and  proffers  of  hospi 
tality  were  checked  at  sight  of  his  stern,  sad  face.  In 
brief  words  he  told  her  Mrs.  Davies  was  too  ill  to 
receive  callers  or  accept  invitations,  and  in  response  to 
her  flurried  "Is  there  anything  in  the  world  I  can 
do?"  coldly  answered  <hat  Mrs.  Darling  had  already 
done — too  much. 

In  her  natural  and  justifiable  indignation,  Mrs. 
Darling  at  once  sought  Mrs.  Stone  and  Mrs.  Flight. 
"  They  had  an  awful  scene,  I'm  sure,"  said  she,  "  for 
his  face  was  as  black  as  a  storm,  and  I  knew  how  it 
would  be.  Some  one's  been  blabbing  and  making 
matters  infinitely  worse  than  they  really  were.  What 
do  you  suppose  will  happen  when  he  and  Willett  really 
meet?" 

"  They  have  met,"  cried  Mrs.  Flight,  forgetful  of 
her  determination  to  keep  at  odds  with  Mrs.  Darling 

p         w  29 


338  UNDER   FIRE. 

in  the  bliss  of  imparting  exciting  news, — "  they  have 
met  at  Sanders' s  quarters,  and  there  must  have  been 
something  dreadful,  because  Willett  came  out,  oh,  with 
such  a  face  !  and  went  right  over  to  the  store  and  drove 
off  to  town.  Sanders  is  all  broken  up  about  some 
thing.  Flighty  says  he  wouldn't  tell  anybody."  And 
by  "  Flighty"  the  lady  referred  to  her  consort. 

The  awful  scene  of  Mrs.  Darling's  imagination  was 
really  not  very  tragic.  Almira  had  shut  herself  in 
her  room  in  preparation  for  the  coming  visits  of  the 
doctor  and  Mrs.  Darling.  Her  tea-gown  being  a  most 
becoming  garment,  she  was  still  enveloped  in  its  soft 
and  clinging  folds,  and  had  let  her  long,  lustrous  hair 
fall  rippling  down  her  back.  She  had  once  seen  a 
queen  of  the  emotional  drama  similarly  gowned  and 
groomed  and  a  lasting  impression  was  the  consequence. 
The  tea-gown  and  tumbling  hair  became  Mira's  con 
ception  of  the  proper  make-up  for  wronged  and  injured 
and  deeply -suffering  wifehood.  She  had  prepared  to 
deluge  the  doctor  with  symptoms  and  Mrs.  Darling 
with  tears,  but  nearly  an  hour  wont  by  and  neither  came. 
Katty  was  clearing  away  the  luncheon  table,  and  to 
her  Almira  faintly  appealed  for  tidings,  and  Katty  said 
that  the  masther  had  come  in  for  a  minute  and  walked 
up  and  clown  in  the  parlor  and  gone  to  the  front  door 
himself  to  meet  Mr.  Sanders,  and  they  were  talking 
out  in  front.  When  the  second  time  her  husband 
entered  the  house  she  prepared  to  hide  her  face  and 
refuse  him  a  word,  but  he  did  not  come  near  her. 
She  heard  him  pacing  up  and  down,  up  and  down,  at 
first  with  quick  nervous  stride  and  at  last  more  slowly. 
Then  he  seemed  to  sit  at  his  desk  and  write.  She 


UNDER  FIRE.  339 

could  hear  him  sigh  heavily.  What  business  had  he 
to  sigh?  She  was  suffering  for  lack  of  sympathy, 
nursing,  tender  care.  Why  should  he  sit  there  sighing 
in  that  absurd  fashion  ?  She  heard  him  go  to  the  kitchen 
and  tell  Barnickel  to  take  that  note  to  the  chaplain, 
and  then  he  came  back  to  write  some  more.  She  grew 
impatient,  lonelv.  She  determined  to  bring  him  to 
her  side,  and  if  possible  to  her  feet  again.  Other  men 
were  abject  enough ;  why  should  she  be  lorded  over 
in  this  way?  She  threw  herself  again  upon  her  bed 
and  covered  her  eyes  with  her  filmy  handkerchief  and 
faintly  called  "  Percy  !"  As  he  did  not  hear  she  tried 
again,  louder,  aud  still  he  did  not  seem  to  be  at  her 
door  listening  for  the  slightest  sign,  and  she  was  com 
pelled  to  sit  up  and  call  loudly,  not  for  him  but  for 
Katty. 

And  Katty,  being  out  among  the  pots  and  pans  and 
kettles,  didn't  hear  her  at  all ;  so  Davies  went  and  sum 
moned  the  girl,  instead  of  going  to  Almira  himself, 
as  Almira  thought  he  should  have  done.  Presently 
Katty  came  out.  The  fnisthress  wanted  to  know  was 
the  doctor  ever  coming — and  Mrs.  Darling?  Then 
Davies  entered  the  room  and  closed  the  door. 

"  Dr.  Rooke  has  not  yet  returned,  Mira,"  he  said. 
"Mrs.  Darling  with  my  consent  will  not  visit  you 
again  until  you  are  experienced  enough  to  know  right 
from  wrong.  You  never  told  me  of  these  visits 
with  her  to  Cresswell's  or  I  should  have  forbidden 
them  utterly.  It  never  occurred  to  me  that  you  would 
be  tempted  to  go  thither  or  I  should  have  warned  you. 
I  do  not  blame  you  so  much,  my  wife,  as  I  do  those 
who  have  so  misled  you.  There  are  some  things  I 


340  UNDER  FIRE. 

have  been  told  that  are  past  my  understanding,  and 
that  when  you  are  well  again  I  shall  have  to  ask  you 
to  explain.  Now  rest  as  well  as  you  can.  The  doctor 
will  come  to  you  just  as  soon  as  he  returns  to  the  post. 
Is  there  anything  I  can  do  to  help  you  ?" 

But  Mira  burst  into  a  wail.  She  didn't  wish  to  see 
anybody — anybody  but  the  doctor  and  Mrs.  Darling. 
It  was  cruel,  heartless,  brutal  on  his  part  to  come  in 
and  taunt  and  torment  her  when  she  was  so  helpless 
and  ill.  It  was  wicked  to  cut  her  off  from  the  only 
friends  she  loved  or  who  had  been  kind  to  her.  She 
would  have  died  of  loneliness  and  misery  while  he  was 
gone  if  it  hadn't  been  for  Mrs.  Darling  and  for  her 
friends.  His  friends  hadn't  come  near  her, — hadn't 
done  anything  for  her,  and  now  he  was  angry  because, 
when  she  was  neglected  and  scorned  by  them,  others 
like  Mrs.  Darling  had  been  good  and  kind  to  her. 
Oh,  why  couldn't  she  go  home  to  her  dear  old  father 
and  the  sisters  who  loved  her,  and  weep  her  heart  out 
on  her  m-m-mothcr's  grave?  Davies  sadly  realized 
that  neither  argument  nor  appeal  would  help  matters. 
He  heard  the  chaplain's  ring  at  the  outer  door,  and 
went  to  him  with  sore-laden  heart.  Later  the  two  left 
the  fair  invalid  to  the  care  of  the  chaplain's  wife  and 
went  in  search  of  Leonard.  Boynton,  still  unable  to 
walk  about,  was  occupying  his  old  quarters  next  to  the 
adjutant's,  and,  propped  up  in  an  easy-chair  near  the 
window,  caught  sight  of  his  comrade,  the  captor  of 
Red  Dog,  and  eagerly  beckoned  him  in.  Davies  had 
to  go  and  shake  hands,  though  at  the  moment  he 
wished  that  he  might  avoid  almost  everybody. 

"  Why,  Parson,  old  boy,  you  can't  stand  that  agency 


UNDER  FIRS.  341 

work.  It's  making  an  old  man  of  you  now  before 
half  your  time.  You  look  ten  years  older.  I  hope 
you're  not  ill." 

"  No,  not  ill ;  a  little  tired  and  worn  perhaps,"  said 
Davies.  "We  were  just  going  in  to  see  Leonard." 

"  Well,  I  wish  you'd  fetch  him  in  here  the  first 
evening  you  can.  There  are  some  things  that  I  want 
to  talk  over  with  you  two,  things  that  affect  us  both. 
Have  you  seen  Differs  ?" 

"  No,  not  yet.  I'll  report  to  him  at  guard-mounting 
in  the  morning.  The  regulations  say  the  first  orderly 
hour,  don't  they  ?" 

"  Yes, — but  you'd  better  report  your  arrival  to  him 
the  moment  he  comes  out  of  his  house  or  else  go  to 
the  office  and  do  it.  We've  got  a  bone  to  pick  with 
him,  Parson,  and  I  don't  want  you  to  get  into  any 
outside  tangle.  I'll  be  up  and  about  in  a  couple  of 
days,  then  we'll  settle  it  with  him." 

For  a  man  who  had  striven  conscientiously  to  do 
his  duty,  it  seemed  to  Davies,  as  he  rejoined  the  chap 
lain,  that  he  had  become  involved  in  tangles  enough 
without  seeking  new  ones.  His  friend  had  already 
rapped  at  Leonard's  door  and  been  informed  that  the 
adjutant  was  over  at  his  office,  so  thither  went  the  two, 
many  eyes  following  them  as  they  crossed  the  broad, 
brown  level  of  the  parade.  The  snow  had  disappeared 
entirely  except  in  dirty  hummocks  along  the  pathways 
and  walks  whither  it  had  been  shovelled  after  the  heavy 
fall.  The  post  looked  even  less  cheery  and  attractive 
than  before.  The  few  men  moving  about  had  the  list 
less  air  of  soldiers  with  nothing  to  do,  going  fat  and 
"  soft"  for  lack  of  vigorous  exercise.  Over  in  front 

29* 


342  UNDER  FIRE. 

of  the  colonel's  quarters  his  sedate  bay  team  was  wait 
ing,  and  presently  that  veteran,  with  Mrs.  Stone  and 
Tommy  Dot  and  a  striker  in  attendance,  was  aided 
down  the  steps  and  into  his  open  carriage  for  a  drive. 

"Is  it  not  late  for  them  to  take  him  out?"  asked 
Davies.  "Why  don't  they  make  an  earlier  start?" 

"  Ordinarily  they  have  done  so.  To-day,  though, 
he  has  been  having  a  conference  with  your  captain ; 
rather  an  extended  and  trying  one,  I  fancy,  and  not 
agreeable  to  either  party.  Captain  Devers  was  leaving 
there  as  I  returned  to  yours.  Davies,  my  friend, 
there  is  a  man  who  is  a  veritable  Ishmael.  His  hand 
seems  against  every  one  and  every  man's  hand  against 
him.  You  could  never  have  wronged  him, — what  on 
earth  has  set  him  against  you  ?" 

"  Indeed,"  was  the  earnest  answer,  "  I  do  not  know  ;" 
and  then,  solemnly,  Davies  added,  "  Trouble  seems 
the  lot  of  many  of  us,  yet  even  in  one's  saddest  hour 
it  is  impossible  not  to  feel  sorrow  and  pity  for  one  like 
him,  who  stands  before  his  fellows  an  utterly  friendless 
man." 

The  adjutant  rose  with  an  eager  light  in  his  dark 
eyes  at  sight  of  the  two.  "  I  have  been  hoping  to  see 
you,  Davies,"  said  he,  "  yet  I  knew  you  would  have 
much  to  detain  you  at  home.  Mrs.  Davies  is  better,  I 
hope?" 

"  Mrs.  Davies  is  not  well,  but  I  think  the  matter  is 
not  serious.  I  came  first  to  report  my  arrival  from 
the  reservation.  Mrs.  Davies  will  go  there  with  me 
just  as  soon  as  we  can  pack.  Then  the  chaplain  and 
I  want  to  consult  you  personally  about  some  important 
matters.  Have  you  a  spare  half-hour?" 


UNDER  FIRE.  343 

"  Frankly,  Davies,  I  haven't,  and  won't  have  until 
tattoo.  There  are  some  reports  here  that  will  occupy 
me  pretty  much  every  minute.  Is  it  business  that  can 
wait  until  then  ?" 

"It  will  have  to,"  said  Davies. 

"  Then  let  me  get  at  once  to  the  reason  of  my  de 
siring  to  see  you  before  to-night.  Captain  Devers  has 
been  called  upon  by  department  head-quarters  to  ex 
plain  some  discrepancies  in  an  official  report  or  two, 
and  I  was  present  at  the  long  interview  between  him 
and  the  colonel  this  afternoon.  Davies,  have  you  ever 
seen  a  map  or  sketch  of  that  ground  north  of  Antelope 
Springs  where  you  had  your  adventure  last  September?'7 

"  No,"  said  Davies,  wondering. 

"  Then  I  want  you  to  look  at  this,  compare  it  with 
your  recollections,  and  tell  me  how  accurate  it  is,  espe 
cially  as  to  the  tracing  of  the  trails  of  the  various  parties." 

The  short  winter  day  was  already  waning  and  the 
light  in  the  dingy  office  growing  dim.  Leonard  called 
for  candles,  then  stretched  a  huge  white  blotter  upon  a 
wide-topped  stand  and  spread  open  upon  it  the  filmy 
sheet  of  tracing  paper.  An  almost  exact  copy  of 
Devers's  map  was  thrown  into  bold,  black  relief,  and 
for  the  first  time  Percy  Davies  saw  the  plan  on  which 
was  based  the  report  that,  exonerating  his  captain, 
inferentially  held  him  accountable  for  the  massacre  of 
his  comrades  at  Antelope  Springs. 

"Why!  when  was  this  made?"  he  asked,  in  grave 
surprise.  "  Whose  work  is  this  ?" 

"  It  was  made  while  you  were  lying  ill  at  Cranston's 
up  at  the  old  post,"  said  Leonard,  calmly.  "  Had  you 
never  heard  of  the  investigation  ?" 


344  UNDER   FIRE. 

"Never." 

"  The  general  sent  Mr.  Archer  of  his  staff  up  there 
to  go  over  the  ground  with  Devers  and  let  him  explain, 
if  he  could,  why  he  got  so  far  away  from  you  and 
your  people  as  to  permit  that  tragedy  to  occur,  espe 
cially  after  the  orders  he'd  received  from  Major  War 
ren.  Devers  cleared  himself  by  proving  to  Archer's 
satisfaction  that  he  obeyed  his  orders  exactly  and 
marched  right  along  the  ridge  here.  This  trail,  the 
one  that  runs  due  south,  just  west  of  the  summit  of 
the  divide,  was  made  by  Devers's  main  command 
moving  in  support  of  you  and  your  detachment.  This 
one  off  here" — and  Leonard's  pencil  rode  lightly 
along  another  that  skirted  a  ravine  apparently  two 
miles  away  from  the  ridge — "  this  one  was  made  by 
his  command  the  next  day  after  you  had  been  found 
by  Warren's  men,"  and  Leonard  was  narrowly  eying 
Davies  as  he  spoke. 

"  Pardon  me,  Mr.  Leonard,  it  was  just  the  other 
way,"  said  Davies,  assuming  that  the  adjutant  in  his 
personal  ignorance  of  the  facts  was  stating  a  theory. 
"  Captain  Devers  never  approached  the  ridge  that 
evening.  He  was  going  farther  away  from  it  all  the 
time.  I  had  to  gallop  to  catch  him.  This,  out  here 
to  the  southwest,  is  what  might  be  called  an  approxi 
mation  to  his  trail.  I  finally  overtook  him  away  out 
over  here  somewhere,  across  the  ravine,"  and  Davies 
indicated  with  the  point  of  a  pencil. 

"  Well,  then  who  made  this  trail  up  here  on  the 
ridge?  You  must  have  crossed  it  twice  before  dark." 

"  There  was  no  such  trail  there,  sir,  nor  was  there 
any  party  to  make  it.  Everything  in  the  battalion 


UNDER   FIRE.  345 

except  my  own  little  squad  was  away  off  to  the  south 
west,  anywhere  from  two  to  ten  miles.'7 

"  You  could  swear  to  that,  Davies  ?  You  remember 
it  distinctly — despite  your  illness  ?" 

"Swear  to  it?  Certainly,  sir,"  said  Davies,  with 
wonderment  in  his  eyes.  "So  could  McGrath,  who 
was  with  me,  if  he  were  only  alive.  So  could  Devers 
himself,  or  Haney,  or  Finucane,  or  a  dozen  others  of 
the  command  who  must  know  that  wasn't  their  trail." 

"  I  fear  me,  Davies,"  said  Leonard,  gravely,  "  that 
some  of  the  very  men  you  name  have  told  it,  if  not 
sworn  to  it,  the  other  way,  and  that  your  captain  has 
allowed  it  to  be  accepted  as  the  basis  of  his  release 
from  accountability." 

In  the  gloomy  office  the  darkness  was  gathering 
thicker.  At  the  head  of  the  table,  his  coat  thrown 
over  his  arm,  his  hat  in  his  folded  hands,  stood  the 
strong  figure  of  the  chaplain,  his  thoughtful  brow 
shining  in  the  light  of  the  candles  the  clerks  had 
placed  upon  the  board.  His  was  the  first  face  to  be 
seen  by  one  entering  the  room  from  the  hall-way,  or 
peering  in  at  the  window,  for  the  figures  of  Leonard 
and  Davies,  their  backs  to  the  entrance,  were  thrown 
in  black  silhouette  against  the  glare;  but  as  Leonard 
spoke  the  two  who  had  been  bending  over  the  work 
drew  slightly  apart  and  gazed  silently,  significantly, 
into  each  other's  faces,  Leonard  calm,  massive,  master 
ful,  Davies  searching,  questioning,  the  light  of  a  new 
and  grave  suspicion  in  his  troubled  eyes. 

And  looking  on  this  picture, — on  this  triumvirate, — 
there  stood  on  the  porch  without,  close  to  the  uncur 
tained  window,  a  fourth  form,  heavy,  massive  almost  as 


346  UNDER  FIRE. 

Leonard's,  but  far  less  soldierly.  Then  noiselessly 
this  latter  turned  to  the  hall-way,  and  with  cautious 
step  drew  near  the  open  office  door ;  the  heavy  arctics, 
which  it  was  Devers's  habit  to  wear  so  long  as  the 
weather  was  even  moderately  cold,  deadened  the  sound 
of  his  footfalls,  and  now  with  beating  heart  the  troop 
commander  stood  listening  to  what  he  could  catch  of 
the  conversation  within. 

"  It  is  absolutely  false  and  misleading,"  said  Davies, 
"  and  if  it  has  been  used,  as  you  say,  to  clear  him  or 
anybody  else,  it  should  be  exposed  at  once." 

"That,"  said  the  adjutant,  in  his  deep,  deliberate 
tone,  "  is  precisely  what  I  believe,  but  needed  your 
evidence  to  establish.  Now  you  will  excuse  me  from 
further  talk  about  this  or  anything  else  until,  say,  after 
office  hours  to-morrow  morning.  I  have  much  to  attend 
to.  If  you  and  the  chaplain  will  meet  me  at  ten  o'clock, 
we  can  settle  various  matters.  Meantime  I'll  lock  these 
papers  in  my  desk."  Across  the  dim  hall-way,  as  the 
two  friends  left  the  office,  stood  the  door  of  the  sanctum 
of  the  post  commander.  It  was  just  ajar,  but  there 
was  no  light  beyond,  and  to  all  appearances  the  room 
was  as  deserted  as  it  was  dark.  Rooke  was  just  coming 
out  of  No.  12  as  they  returned  thither. 

"  I'm  glad  you're  home,  Mr.  Davies,  and  I'll  be 
gladder  when  you've  got  that  pretty  little  bunch  of 
nerves  and  nonsense  off  my  hands  and  off  this  military 
reservation." 

"  She  will  be  well  enough  to  travel — when  ?"  asked 
Davies,  as  placidly  as  he  could.  Even  when  the  wife 
of  one's  bosom  has  been  behaving  outrageously  it  isn't 
pleasant  to  hear  it  from  one's  neighbors,  unasked. 


UNDER  FIRE.  347 

"  She  could  go  to-morrow  and  be  the  better  for  it/' 
said  Rooke,  bluntly.  "  What  she  needs  is  a  firm  hand 
and  a  change  of  scene — and  surroundings.  We're  too 
volatile  hereabouts."  And  this  it  seems  was  practi 
cally  what  he  had  told  Almira  herself,  much  to  her 
scandal  and  dismay.  She  piteously  asked  why  she 
couldn't  see  Dr.  Burroughs ;  and  was  unfeelingly  told 
that  there  was  no  reason  whatever,  provided  she 
started  to-morrow  ;  that  he  was  at  Ogallalla  and  would 
be  very  glad  to  see  her.  "  Once  up  there/7  said  the  old 
cynic,  "you  can  have  Burroughs  and  lollipops  to  your 
heart's  content." 

"  Oh,  doctor,  but  think  of  the  peril,  the  danger/' 
she  moaned. 

"  Tut,  woman,  you'll  be  in  no  such  danger  there  as 
here,"  he  answered  brusquely ;  and  Davies  found  her 
weeping  dejectedly,  but  weeping  to  no  purpose.  When 
morning  came  Barnickel  and  Katty  were  boxing  up 
the  lares  and  penates,  and  toward  nighfall  Mira  her 
self  was  meekly,  though  not  resignedly,  bearing  a 
hand.  This  indeed  was  not  what  she  had  pictured 
army  life  to  be.  Davies  and  the  chaplain  were  to 
have  joined  Leonard  as  planned  at  ten  o'clock.  At 
nine  the  orderly  came  to  the  door  of  No.  12,  and 
said  that  Mr.  Leonard  would  be  very  much  obliged  if 
Mr.  Davies  would  come  to  the  office  at  once,  and  Da- 
vies  went.  Colonel  Stone,  as  had  been  arranged,  was 
once  more  restored  to  his  desk  in  the  office,  and  though 
looking  gray  and  ten  years  older,  was  "on  deck." 
He  was  absorbed  in  turning  over  some  official  papers, 
so  Davies  did  not  disturb  him.  He  went  into  Leon 
ard's  den.  The  officer  of  the  day  was  comparing 


348  UNDER  FIRE. 

the  list  of  prisoners  in  the  guard  report  with  some 
memoranda  on  the  adjutant's  desk,  but  presently  fin 
ished,  shook  hands  with  Davies  and  said  welcome  back 
to  Scott,  then  went  his  way. 

The  moment  he  was  gone  Leonard  whirled  about  in 
his  chair.  "  Davies,  you  remember  our  locking  those* 
papers  in  tin's  drawer  last  night?" 

"Certainly." 

"  Well,  look  at  it  now,  and  as  I  found  it  ten  minutes 
ago 

The  drawer  was  absolutely  empty. 


CHAPTER    XXY. 

THE  closing  week  of  March  was  marked  by  a  furi 
ous  snow-storm  that  swept  the  big  prairie  like  a  besom, 
but  plugged  up  every  coulee  and  ravine.  For  four 
days  no  communication  had  been  held  with  the  Ogal- 
lalla  Agency.  The  wires  were  down,  the  road  im 
passable,  and  Mrs.  Davies  had  reached  her  new  harbor 
of  refuge  none  too  soon.  The  quartermaster's  ambu 
lance  bore  the  couple  half-way  to  the  new  station,  and 
Cranston's  Concord  came  to  meet  and  carry  them  the 
rest  of  the  way.  Mira's  parting  with  her  devoted 
lady  friends  at  Scott  was  cut  short  by  a  start  at  early 
dawn,  against  which  she  rebelled  faintly,  but  to  no 
purpose.  It  had  taken  only  two  days  to  pack  their 
few  belongings.  They  spent  the  last  night  of  their 
stay  in  Scott  under  Leonard's  roof,  and  Mrs.  Leonard 


UNDER   FIRE.  349 

did  her  best  to  cheer  and  gladden  the  mournful  bride. 
It  was  of  little  avail,  however.  Almira  was  dimly 
beginning  to  see  that  her  conduct  had  cost  her  the 
respect  of  those  women  most  worth  knowing,  and  that 
although  the  dreaded  interrogatories  which  Percy  was 
to  put  to  her  as  soon  as  she  was  stronger  were  still  in 
the  future,  his  faith  in  and  love  for  her,  whatsover  they 
might  have  been,  were  seriously  shattered.  In  manner 
he  was  still  grave,  kind,  and  gentle  almost  as  before, 
but  everything  like  tenderness  had  vanished.  One 
question  he  said  he  must  ask  her  before  they  left  Scott. 
Had  she  ever  accepted  any  gifts  or  letters  or  anything 
from  Mr.  Willett?  And  Almira  answered  that  once 
he  had  sent  her  just  a  few  violets  with  a  note  inviting 
Mrs.  Darling  and  her  to  drive  with  him  the  next  day, 
but  she  had  tossed  them  into  the  fire  long  ago.  Noth 
ing  more,  nothing  else  at  any  time?  asked  Davies, 
gravely,  and  Almira  answered  no.  How  could  he 
torment  her  with  such  unjust  suspicions?  Far  better 
would  it  be  to  let  her  return  to  the  father  and  sisters  who 
longed  for  and  missed  her,  to  her  peaceful  home  where 
down  in  the  bottom  of  her  heart  Mira  knew  she  was 
not  wanted  by  either  father  or  sisters  or  step-mother. 
Davies  looked  graver,  but  questioned  no  longer.  The 
day  before  their  start  Mr.  Langston  came  out  from 
Braska  and  inquired  for  Davies,  and  told  him  how  glad 
he  was  to  renew  his  acquaintance,  and  Davies  greeted 
him  with  much  reserve.  This  was  the  man  who  was 
travelling  with  Willett  the  June  gone  by,  and  just  as 
it  had  at  first  affected  Miss  Loomis,  so  did  the  recollec 
tion  now  prejudice  the  officer  against  him.  Langston 
saw  it,  but  went  quietly  on  with  the  business  in  hand. 

30 


350  UNDER  FIRE. 

"  I  am  the  bearer  of  a  note  to  you  from  Mr.  Willett, 
whose  people,  at  least,  are  old  friends  of  mine.  He 
has  gone  home,  at  my  advice,  and  it  will  be  against 
my  advice  if  he  return  here  within  a  year.  If  he 
should  do  so,  I  wash  my  hands  of  him.  It  is  not  to 
make  excuses  for  him  or  Burtis  that  I  have  come,  but 
to  ask  you  about  one  matter.  On  his  way  back  to  the 
agency  your  comrade  Mr.  Sanders  came  to  town  and 
heaped  reproaches  on  Willett  and  on  the  proprietor 
of  the  restaurant,  alleging  that  certain  disreputable 
people  were  allowed  to  occupy  the  adjoining  dining- 
room  while  the  party  from  the  fort  was  dancing. 
Cresswell  was  very  indignant  at  the  charge.  He  says 
that  the  party  in  the  adjoining  room  was  the  family  of 
old  Pierre  Robideau,  from  Kearney, — just  himself,  his 
wife  and  daughter,  with  a  friend  whom  they  called 
Mr.  Powell,  and  it  was  Mr.  Powell  who  paid  the  bill. 
"  Robideau  is  an  old  trader  and  trapper,  but  he  and 
his  people  are  honest  and  respectable  as  any  in  Braska, 
and  the  young  man  with  them  was  supposed  to  be 
paying  attention  to  the  daughter.  Robideau  and  his 
family  went  back  to  Kearney  that  night  after  a  week's 
visit  to  friends  up  here  in  Braska.  The  daughter, 
Angie,  had  been  here  some  time  visiting  a  school 
friend.  We  feel  sure  you  have  made  no  such  state 
ment  to  Mr.  Sanders  without  some  strong  ground  of 
suspicion.  May  I  ask  how  you  heard  it  so  soon  after 
your  arrival  ?" 

"  I  heard  it  before  I  got  here/7  said  Davies,  quietly, 
"though  when  it  was  told  me  I  had  no  idea  my  wife 
was  one  of  the  party.  My  orderly  was  cold  and  tired 
and  we  stopped  at  the  Scott  station  at  the  point  where 


UNDER  FIRE.  351 

the  road  crosses  the  railway  to  give  him  a  cup  of  coffee 
and  water  the  horses.  There  were  some  trappers  and 
plainsmen  in  there,  and  one  of  them  was  telling  with 
much  gusto  of  the  performances  of  a  soldier  of  our 
troop  who  deserted  that  night, — how  he  had  chartered 
the  adjoining  room  to  that  in  which  the  officers  and 
ladies  were  dancing  and  had  a  whirl  to  the  officers' 
music  with  some  ladies  of  his  own  choosing,  and  the 
girls  lassoed  a  waiter  and  hauled  him  into  their  room 
and  got  a  bottle  of  the  officers'  champagne " 

"  Pardon  me,  Mr.  Davies,  "  but  do  not  these  plains 
men  rather  like  to  tell  big  stories  at  the  expense  of  the 
officers, — the  bigger  the  better  ?" 

"  I  believe  so,  and  paid  little  attention  to  it  at  first, 
but  among  the  listeners  was  a  scout  who  went  through 
last  summer's  campaign  with  us  and  did  good  service. 
He  rode  over  to  the  post,  with  me,  and  on  the  way  we 
met  a  sergeant  and  two  men  of  '  A'  Troop,  returning 
from  an  unsuccessful  pursuit  of  deserters.  They  told 
the  same  story  with  some  additions,  and  said  the  fellow 
openly  boasted  in  Braska  that  afternoon  that  he  was 
going  to  the  dance.  Then  the  scout  admitted  reluc 
tantly  that  he  had  heard  the  story  from  several  sources, 
and  gave  the  names  of  the  women  who  were  said  to 
have  been  introduced  there,  and  they  were  not  Robi- 
deau's  family.  The  sergeant  had  heard  just  what  the 
scout  had  as  to  the  identity  of  the  intruders.  Then  on 
my  arrival  at  home  I  learned  that  Mrs.  Davies  was 
one  of  the  fort  party,  and  Mrs.  Stone  and  other  ladies 
who  were  present  referred  to  some  rude  creatures  in 
a  neighboring  room  who  peeped  and  stared  at  the 
dancing.  There  was  also  awaiting  me  with  my  mail 


352  UNDER  FIRE. 

an  anonymous  letter,  which  I  burned  without  reading 
throngli.  Next  I  learned  that  the  man  who  frightened 
them  on  the  homeward  way  and  then  deserted  after  a 
fracas  with  Mr.  Willett  was  Howard,  of  '  A'  Troop, 
and  that  man's  associations  in  town  are  matters  of 
notoriety.  That  was  the  chain  that  led  to  my  belief 
in  the  story." 

Langston  looked  grave.  "  And  Howard  was  prob 
ably  Robideau's  friend,  though  Cresswell  didn't  know 
it !  He  had  been  paying  court  to  Robideau's  daughter 
during  her  visit  to  Braska,  always  in  civilian  dress 
and  always  claiming  to  be  a  civilian  clerk  in  the  quarter 
master's  department  with  a  salary  of  twelve  hundred 
a  year.  I  have  seen  her  friends  in  town  where  she 
visited,  and  they  are  very  plain,  honest,  and  well-to-do 
people,  whose  daughter  was  sent  to  Illinois  to  school 
and  met  Angeline  Robideau  there.  They  had  another 
friend  living  in  Cheyenne,  and  when  they  were  up 
there  visiting  her  for  a  few  days  they  said  Mr.  Powell 
was  coming  up  to  spend  one  evening, — Powell  is  the 
name  they  all  knew  him  by,  and  the  belief  is  that 
Angle  was  much  fascinated  by  him,  and  had  met  him 
East  before  meeting  him  here.  Mr.  Davies,  I  am 
glad  to  relieve  your  mind  of  one  uncomfortable  theory 
in  connection  with  this  affair.  I  wish  I  could  extenu 
ate  or  explain  Willett's  conduct  as  easily,  but  that 
young  man  is  a  fool  of  the  first  magnitude." 

Davies  had  taken  the  note  handed  him  by  Langston 
and  was  mechanically  turning  it  and  twisting  it  in  his 
fingers.  His  impulse  was  to  toss  it,  as  he  had  the 
anonymous  billet,  into  the  fire.  There  was  something 
about  the  handwriting  of  the  former  that  was  vaguely 


UNDER   FIRE.  353 

familiar  to  him  even  through  its  disguise,  but  Willett's 
scrawling  superscription  he  had  never  seen.  Some 
thing  told  him,  however,  that  anything  of  which  a 
man  of  Langston's  calibre  chose  to  be  the  bearer  was 
entitled  to  consideration.  He  made  no  reply  to  Langs- 
ton's  closing  words.  He  had  fully  made  up  his  mind 
as  to  what  his  course  should  be,  and  what  was  the 
extent  of  Mira's  misdoing.  Just  as  he  said  to  her,  he 
blamed  those  who  should  have  been  her  advisers  and 
protectors  far  more  than  he  blamed  her,  and  as  to  this 
popinjay  who  had  become  infatuated  with  her  beauty, 
though  the  lieutenant's  blood  boiled  in  wrath  and  indig 
nation,  his  calmer  judgment  and  his  disciplined  spirit 
tempered  any  and  every  expression.  He  had  spent 
long,  wakeful,  prayerful  hours  in  the  silence  and 
solemnity  of  the  night,  and  no  man  knew  the  story  of 
the  struggle.  He  had  trained  himself  to  meet  this 
man  who  had  so  openly  and  persistently  shown  him 
self  a  worshipper  at  the  feet  of  his  wife,  and  to  meet 
him  with  cool  contempt,  yet  the  same  hot  blood  that 
rioted  in  his  veins  when,  long  years  before,  he  had 
downed  the  village  scoffer  who  had  ventured  to  ridi 
cule  his  aged  mother,  now  prompted  him  to  horse 
whip  Willett  should  he  venture  again  to  visit  the  fort. 

It  was  relief,  therefore,  to  hear  that  he  had  gone. 

At  last  he  opened  and  read  the  note,  a  clumsy,  cub 
bish  attempt  to  explain  his  language  in  Sanders's  room, 
and  to  say  the  package  was  absolutely  nothing  but  some 
violets,  to  apologize  for  any  and  every  annoyance  he 
might  have  caused  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davies,  for  whom  he 
entertained  nothing  but  sentiments  of  the  most  pro 
found  respect  and  esteem,  and  begging  if  ever  they 
*  30* 


354  UNDER  FIRE. 

met  again  to  be  regarded  as  most  sincerely  their  friend, 
etc. 

"  There  is  no  answer,"  said  Davies,  as  he  finished 
it,  a  smile  of  contempt  on  his  lips.  "  You  must  have 
known  there  couldn't  be,  did  you  not  ?" 

"  Well,  I  fancied  as  much.  He  had  no  friend  to 
carry  it  for  him  unless  I  would,  and  the  young  idiot 
has  gone  off  feeling  profoundly  wretched  about  the 
whole  business,  as  he  deserves  to.  Had  I  been  here, 
as  an  old  friend  of  his  family,  it  would  have  been  my 
right  to  warn  him  weeks  ago,  and  to  put  a  stop  to  his 
foolishness  if  he  was  not  to  be  advised.  More  than 
that,  Mr.  Davies,  I  wish  to  say  that  ever  since  I  met 
you  on  the  train  last  June  I  felt  an  interest  in  you 
that  would  have  prompted  me  to  stand  your  friend  in 
your  absence  whether  I  felt  any  interest  in  him  or  not. 
I  should  like  to  know  you  better  and  to  convince  you 
that  I  meant  what  I  said  when  we  parted  there." 

And  Davies  at  last  held  out  a  cordial  hand. 

This  was  the  afternoon  before  his  early  start,  and 
though  he  left  the  post  feeling  that  he  had  gained  a 
friend  worth  having,  Davies  did  not  fully  realize  how 
dangerous  a  thing  it  was  to  leave  a  community  of 
women,  none  of  whom  he  had  sought  to  placate  and 
some  of  whom  he  had  offended.  Mrs.  Darling  had 
declared  war  against  him,  and  Mrs.  Stone,  if  not  Mrs. 
Flight,  was  in  full  sympathy  with  her.  How  dare  he 
say  they  were  responsible  for  Mrs.  Davies' s  flirtation  ? 
How  dare  he  insinuate  that  they  had  led  her  to  the 
forbidden  shades  of  CresswelFs  ?  There  was  a  tempest 
in  a  teapot  among  Mrs.  Stone's  friends  and  associates 
over  Mrs.  Darling's  account  of  his  rebuke  to  her,  for 


UNDER  FIRE.  355 

Mrs.  Darling  had  deftly  managed  to  include  Mrs. 
Stone  and  Mrs.  Flight  in  the  scope  of  his  condemna 
tion,  and  very  possibly  old  Peleg  might  have  been 
wrought  up  to  pitch  of  sympathetic  resentment  but 
for  the  fact  that  he  was  concentrating  all  of  his  shat 
tered  faculties  on  the  mysterious  robbery  of  the  adju 
tant's  desk. 

Captain  Devers,  relieved  at  last  from  command  of 
the  post  and  overshadowed  by  vague  sense  of  official 
condemnation,  was  now,  in  hopeful  imitation  of  the 
Homeric  Achilles,  sulking  in  his  tent.  Invited  by 
Colonel  Stone  to  appear  at  the  office  and  give  his 
couDsel  as  to  the  matter,  Captain  Devers  had  replied 
that  in  view  of  the  discourtesies  to  which  he  had  been 
subjected  at  the  hands  of  the  adjutant  he  could  hardly 
be  expected  to  care  to  visit  the  building  except  when 
compelled  to  do  so,  and  having  been  relieved  from 
command  under  circumstances  indicative  of  disap 
proval  of  his  methods,  he  should  consider  it  indelicate 
on  his  part  to  say  what  he  thought  of  the  matter  in 
question. 

But  the  orderly  trumpeter  had  told  the  sergeant- 
major  that  Captain  Devers  was  on  the  piazza  looking 
in  the  adjutant's  window  when  the  gentlemen  were 
there  examining  the  map,  and  that  he  entered  the  hall 
way.  The  sergeant-major  told  Mr.  Leonard,  and 
Leonard  was  actually  startled.  He  conveyed  the  in 
formation  to  Pegleg,  and  Pegleg  sent  his  compliments 
to  Captain  Devers  with  the  information  that  his  im 
mediate  presence  was  desired,  so  Devers  came,  and 
shrewdly  guessed  what  was  the  cause.  Certainly,  he 
said,  he  went  to  the  office  to  get  certain  papers  that  he 


356  UNDER  FIRE. 

had  left  in  the  commanding  officer's  desk.  He  did 
look  in  for  one  instant  through  the  adjutant's  window, 
attracted  by  the  unusual  sight  of  the  adjutant,  the 
chaplain,  and  his  own  subaltern,  of  whose  services  he 
had  been  deprived,  in  apparent  consultation.  They 
were  so  absorbed  in  talk  that  they  did  not  hear  him 
as  he  entered  his  own  office  or  when  he  left.  Certainly 
he  lit  no  candle;  he  needed  none.  He  knew  just 
where  his  papers  were,  got  them,  and  came  aAvay.  Did 
he  leave  before  or  after  the  others  ?  Really,  that  was 
a  matter  he  couldn't  answer.  He  was  absorbed  in  his 
own  reflections  when  he  came  out  and  couldn't  say 
whether  the  other  gentlemen  were  there  or  not. 

Pegleg  asked  whether  he  had  any  theory  as  to  the 
disappearance  of  the  batch  of  papers  from  Leonard's 
desk,  and  Devers  said  he  had  none  whatever,  he  didn't 
know  how  the  matter  could  be  supposed  to  interest 
him.  He  did  not  inquire  the  means  resorted  to,  but 
perhaps  that  was  unnecessary,  as  the  drawer  had  evi 
dently  been  forced  by  a  heavy  chisel  and  the  woodwork 
about  the  lock  was  crushed.  Leonard  glowered  at 
him  with  stormy  eyes  during  the  brief  interview  but, 
true  to  his  notions  of  subordination,  asked  no  questions 
whatever.  It  was  the  colonel  who  presently  gave  it 
up  as  a  hopeless  job  and  dismissed  the  cavalryman 
with  a  brief,  ""Well,  that  will  do,  captain  ;  I  see  you 
can't  help  us,"  and  Devers  left  with  livid,  twitching 
face.  He  had  no  fear  of  Stone,  weakened  as  he  evi 
dently  was  both  physically  and  mentally  by  his  recent 
shock.  It  was  that  silent,  gloomy  thunder-cloud  of  an 
adjutant  he  dreaded,  and  with  good  reason.  There 
was  an  unsettled  account  between  these  men  and  one 


UNDER  FIRE.  357 

that  Devers  would  have  been  glad  indeed  to  drop,  but 
Leonard  was  a  man  who  never  let  go.  "  I  hate  to 
have  you  leave  just  now,"  he  said  to  Davies,  "  for  I 
know  we  shall  need  you  presently." 

But  once  more  there  was  a  week  of  no  communication 
with  the  Ogallalla  agency.  Three  days  of  blizzard 
and  three  of  repairs  before  the  flimsy  telegraph  line 
could  be  used  again.  Mrs.  Davies,  busily  occupied  in 
putting  her  new  house  in  order,  was  aided  by  Mrs. 
McPhail  and  one  of  the  ladies  from  the  cantonment, 
who,  happening  to  be  visiting  the  agent's  wife  when 
the  storm  broke,  found  it  pleasauter  to  remain  there 
than  go  back  to  the  log  huts  across  that  mile  of  blast- 
swept  prairie.  The  Indians,  with  the  stoicism  of  their 
race,  huddled  in  their  foul,  smoky  tepees  instead  of 
swarming  about  the  agency,  and  except  Davies's  de 
tachment  none  of  the  command  appeared.  It  was 
therefore  a  rather  busy  time  for  Mira,  as  there  was 
abundant  opportunity  for  conversation,  and  both  Mrs. 
McPhail  and  Mrs.  Plodder  rejoiced  in  so  interested  a 
listener.  The  three  seemed  to  be  getting  along  together 
famously,  a  fact  which  Davies  noted  with  the  same 
half-dreamy,  half-amused  smile.  It  was  a  relief  in 
seeing  her  really  interested  in  setting  her  little  house 
to  rights,  but  it  was  as  evidently  a  relief  to  her  that 
the  otherwise  inevitable  visitors  were  blockaded  by  the 
storm.  Davies  really  did  not  know  which  she  dreaded 
most,  the  Cranstons  or  tLe  Indians. 

It  was  the  latter  who  were  the  first  to  call.  The 
gale  went  down  with  the  sun  one  night,  and  the  morn 
ing  dawned  clear  and  fine.  Up  with  the  sun,  true  to 
his  cavalry  teaching,  Davies  had  been  out  superintend- 


358  UNDER  FIRE. 

ing  the  grooming  and  feeding  of  his  horses.  He  and  Mira 
were  at  breakfast  and  Mrs.  Plodder  had  come  to  help. 
Trooper  Gaffney  was  the  household  cook  for  the  time 
being,  and  a  good  one.  The  coffee  was  excellent, 
despite  the  fact  that  Gaffney  could  get  no  cream,  and 
condensed  milk  was  the  only  substitute  obtainable. 
The  steak  was  juicy  and  tender,  as  the  finest  of  the 
contractor's  beef  was  sure  to  go  to  the  agency  itself, 
and  Gaffney's  soda  biscuits  were  enticing,  whatsoever 
might  be  the  after-effect.  The  two  ladies  were  chat 
ting  in  very  good  spirits  when  one  considers  the  depths 
of  woe  from  which  Mira  had  so  recently  emerged,  and 
the  lieutenant  was  beginning  to  take  some  comfort  in 
the  outlook,  when  all  on  a  sudden  Mira  turned  a 
chalky  white,  screamed  violently,  and  cowered  almost 
under  the  table,  her  face  hidden  in  her  hands.  Da- 
vies's  instant  thought  was  of  the  repeated  whisper  of 
warning  that  came  to  him  regarding  Red  Dog,  but 
Mrs.  Plodder's  merry  peal  of  laughter  reassured  him, 
as  he  whirled  to  confront  what  proved  to  be  the  foe. 
There  on  the  porch  without,  crouching  low,  shading 
their  eyes  with  their  broad  brown  paws,  their  painted 
faces  almost  flattened  against  the  window,  three  Indians, 
a  brave  and  two  squaws, — all  innocent  of  any  violation 
of  etiquette  or  decorum,  but  just  as  their  kith  and  kin 
and  instincts  taught  them, — were  staring  hungrily  into 
the  room.  To  Eastern  readers  it  would  have  seemed 
bare,  homely,  plain  in  the  last  degree  ;  to  the  untutored 
minds  of  these  children  of  the  prairie  it  spoke  of 
wealth,  luxury,  and  plenty.  Peering  over  the  shoul 
ders  of  one  of  the  squaws,  from  its  perch  on  her  toil- 
bowed  back,  was  a  wee  pappoose,  its  beady  little  black 


UNDER  FIRE.  359 

eyes  gleaming,  its  tiny  face  expressive  of  emotions  that 
in  later  years  it  would  speedily  learn  to  suppress, — 
wonderment  and  interest.  A  thinly-clad  girl  of  five 
or  six  clung  to  the  mother  with  one  hand  and  clutched 
her  little  blanket  with  the  other.  They  all  looked 
cold  and  hungry,  and  the  big  eyes  wore  that  dumb, 
professionally  pathetic  look  which  these  born  beggars 
are  adepts  in  assuming. 

"  Go  'way  !  Scat !"  called  Mrs.  Plodder,  with  appro 
priate  gesticulation  as  she  waved  them  aside.  "  You're 
darkening  the  room."  But  for  answer  the  visitors 
only  huddled  the  closer  and  mournfully  patted  and 
rubbed  the  region  of  their  stomachs.  Davies,  laugh 
ing,  went  to  the  door  and  called  them  in,  which  signal 
they  promptly  obeyed,  and  came  trooping  smilingly 
after  the  stalking  warrior,  who  took  the  lead  as  he 
would  have  taken  anything  else.  Mira  by  this  time 
had  backed  into  a  corner,  where  she  cowered  in  terror, 
but  Mrs.  Plodder  laughingly  shook  hands  with  the 
man  as  Davies  passed  them  in,  and  then  blockaded 
him  in  an  opposite  corner  where  he  could  not  lay 
hands  on  anything  they  might  give  the  squaws  and 
children.  He  wanted  to  shake  hands  with  Mira,  too, 
but  she  implored  them  to  keep  him  away.  Davies 
took  the  little  girl  by  the  arm  and  led  her  to  his  wife. 
"  Do  look  at  her,  dear,  and  see  what  a  pretty,  intelli 
gent  face  she  has.  I  want  you  to  know  how  really 
friendly  they  mean  to  be."  And  still  Mira  shrank 
and  trembled.  The  younger  woman  was  a  Minne- 
conjou  girl,  with  frank,  attractive,  almost  pretty  face. 
She  dropped  her  blanket  from  her  head  and  let  it  fall 
about  her  calico-covered  shoulders,  smiling  affably 


360  UNDER  FIRE. 

about  her,  but  eying  the  breakfast  things  apprecia 
tively.  Davies  held  out  a  lump  of  sugar  to  the  baby, 
which  that  embryo  warrior  grasped  eagerly  and  thrust 
into  his  ready  maw,  and  then  buttering  one  of  Gaffney's 
biscuits  and  calling  for  a  fresh  supply,  the  lieutenant, 
with  Mrs.  Plodder  lending  active  aid,  began  feeding 
their  unbidden  guests.  Gaffney  came  in  with  a  heap 
ing  platter  of  his  productions  and  a  pitcher  of  maple 
syrup.  "  This  is  what  they  like,  mum,"  said  he  to 
the  lady  of  the  house.  "  Give  that  little  kid  a  mo 
lasses  sandwhich  and  she'll  be  your  friend  for  life. 
Heap  walk  ?  heap  hungry  ?''  he  continued,  addressing 
the  head  of  the  family,  in  sympathetic  tone. 

"Heap  walk — plenty  heap  hungry,"  was  the  war 
rior's  prompt  response,  with  appropriate  pantomime 
and  immediate  lapse  of  dignity.  Mrs.  Plodder  had 
cut  off  a  big  slice  of  the  steak  and  handed  it  to  the 
mother  with  reassuring  gesture,  but  that  well-disci 
plined  wife  passed  it  immediately  on  to  her  lord,  and 
in  eloquent  silence  pleaded  with  open  hand  and  eyes 
for  more.  "  The  heathens  !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Plodder. 
"  We'd  cure  them  of  that  notion  in  no  time,  wouldn't 
we,  Mrs.  Davies  ?"  But  Mira  was  watching  the  Min- 
neconjou  maiden,  forgetful  even  of  the  adulation  in 
the  eyes  of  the  little  five-year-old  girl  now  licking  the 
syrup  off  her  slab  of  soldier  bread  and  gazing  adoringly 
up  into  the  shrinking  donor's  face.  Miss  Minneconjou 
had  caught  sight  of  her  own  winsome  face  in  a  mirror 
that  hung  in  a  stained-wood  frame  opposite  Mira's 
seat,  and  with  no  little  shy  giggling  was  revelling  in 
the  study  of  her  charms  even  while  busily  munching 
the  big  biscuit  in  her  slender  brown  hand.  Here  was 


UNDER  FIRE.  361 

a  trait  that  formed  a  bond  of  sympathy,  and  Mira 
took  courage.  It  is  not  the  contemplation  of  their 
nobler  qualities,  but  their  weaknesses,  that  puts  us  on 
easy  terms  with  our  fellow-men.  Breakfast  promised 
to  last  a  long  time.  Gaffney,  with  the  adaptability  of 
the  trooper  of  years  of  service  on  the  frontier,  had 
been  worming  something  of  their  visitors'  story  out 
of  them.  The  average  Indian  never  wants  to  tell  his 
name,  but  gets  a  friend  to  give  it  for  him.  It  proved, 
however,  to  be  Bear-Rides-Double  who,  with  his  wife, 
sister,  and  little  ones,  had  honored  them  with  this 
early  visit,  and  after  riding  double  long  years  among 
his  people,  this  young  chief  had  come  afoot  long  miles 
to  see  the  Great  Father's  man  and  lodge  a  complaint. 
He  had  actually  walked  from  the  Minneconjou  village, 
five  thousand  yards  away  down-stream.  But  for  the 
chance  of  making  a  theatrical  coup  Bear-Rides-Double 
could  easily  have  borrowed  a  pony,  even  though  his 
own  were  gone  to  pay  a  poker  debt  incurred  within 
thirty-six  hours,  and  when  he  waked  up  the  morning 
after  the  protracted  play  he  found  that  Pulls  Hard 
and  the  half-breed  "  squaw  man"  with  whom  he  had 
been  gambling  had  not  only  played  him  with  cogged 
dice,  but  plied  him  with  drugged  liquor,  and  then 
gone  off  with  his  war  ponies  as  well  as  the  rest.  He 
wanted  the  Great  Father  to  redress  his  wrongs,  recover 
his  stock,  and  give  him  another  show  with  straight 
cards,  and  then  he'd  show  Pulls  Hard  and  Sioux  Pete 
a  trick  or  two  of  his  own.  Davies  had  proffered 
chairs  during  this  recital,  which  Gaffney  managed  be 
tween  the  sign  language  and  a  species  of  "pidgin 
English,"  called  "  soldier  Sioux,"  to  interpret  for  him, 
Q  31 


362  UNDER  FIRE. 

but  the  family  preferred  to  squat  on  the  floor.  Mrs. 
Plodder,  tiring  of  the  diplomatic  features,  took  Miss 
Minneconjou  into  Mira's  room  to  show  her  the  pretty 
gifts  the  pale-face  bride  had  brought  with  her,  and 
Mira,  with  her  five-year-old  friend  toddling  alongside, 
speedily  followed.  Davies  strove  to  make  the  double 
equestrian  understand  that  he  had  no  authority  in  the 
premises,  and  that  McPhail  was  the  proper  person  to 
apply  to,  but  the  warrior  wished  to  deal  only  with  his 
kind, — a  heap  brave  chief, — the  conqueror  of  the  re 
doubtable  Red  Dog.  He  could  get  more  to  eat 
through  him  in  any  event,  and  in  the  midst  of  it  all 
Gaifney  came  in  from  a  brief  visit  to  his  kitchen  to 
say  that  Sioux  Pete,  the  malefactor  in  question,  was 
actually  in  the  corral  at  that  moment  trying  to  sell  two 
ponies  to  the  sergeant  of  the  guard.  Leaving  Gaffney 
to  the  duty  of  entertaining  his  guests,  Davies  went 
out  to  investigate.  Pete  had  come  over  from  Red 
Dog's  camp  with  some  of  his  plunder,  and  had  no 
idea  the  complainant  had  forestalled  him.  Pete  spoke 
English, — that  is,  plains  English, — but  he  shrank  a 
little  at  sight  of  the  tall,  grave-faced  young  officer  of 
whom  Red  Dog's  people  spoke  with  bated  breath. 

"You  wrant  how  much  for  these  ponies?"  asked  the 
lieutenant,  as  though  he  had  heard  the  talk. 

"  Tirty  dollar." 

"  Where  are  the  others  ?" 

"No  got." 

"  You  rode  off  with  four  ponies  from  the  lodge  of 
Bear-Rides-Double  two  nights  ago.  Where  are  the 
other  two?" 

Pete  turned  sickly  gray.     Could    this  white- faced 


UNDER   FIRE.  363 

soldier  read  visions  and  dreams  and  thoughts?  Was 
he  a  medicine-man  ? 

"  Xo  got/7  he  sullenly  answered  once  more. 

"  You  will  leave  these  two  with  me  for  safe-keep 
ing,"  said  Davies,  "and  go  and  fetch  the  others  at 
once,  even  if  you  have  to  take  them  from  Pulls  Hard, 
and  get  back  here  with  them  at  noon  without  fail. 
No,  you  need  not  appeal  to  the  agent,  or  I'll  tell  him 
that  you  loaded  Bear  with  drugged  liquor  and  marked 
cards  and  cogged  dice.  Off  with  you,  Pete/7  he  con 
tinued,  and  the  half-breed  rode  away  on  his  Cayuse 
pony  with  scared  face,  and  told  in  the  camp  of  Red 
Dog  that  the  young  chief  Davies  was  a  seer,  a  mind- 
reader  as  well  as  a  brave  who  feared  not  to  grapple 
their  war  chief;  and  when  he  was  gone,  Bear-Rides- 
Double  was  summoned  and  bidden  to  ride  double  if  he 
could,  but  to  go  and  sin  no  more  with  cogged  dice, 
and  the  Minneconjou  looked  with  evident  awe  and 
wonderment  upon  the  grave,  reticent  cavalryman,  and 
went  away  homeward  on  one  of  the  recovered  ponies, 
his  women-folk,  laden  with  Mira's  discarded  finery  and 
leading  the  other,  trudging  contentedly  along  behind 
him  afoot. 

"  You'll  be  a  heap  bigger  man  among  the  Indians 
than  the  agent  can  ever  hope  to  be,  lieutenant,"  said 
Gaffney,  witli  an  Irish  grin. 

But  Davies  said  nothing.  Had  he  overstepped  his 
authority?  Would  McPhail  approve?  The  point 
was  soon  settled.  Through  the  hangers-on  about  the 
store  McPhail  heard  rumors  flitting  like  lightning 
among  the  villages.  The  young  officer  was  a  medicine 
man,  a  mind-reader,  and  far  and  wide  the  Indians 


364  UNDER  FIRE. 

spoke  of  him  in  fear  and  reverence.  It  might  be  a 
good  thing,  said  the  canny  Scot,  to  back  him  up  and 
reap  the  benefit.  "  Just  so  long  as  I  can  keep  him 
here  in  charge  of  the  guard  we  can  run  things  to  suit 
ourselves,  for  no  red-skin  will  dare  buck  against  him." 


CHAPTEE    XXVI. 

FOR  nearly  a  fortnight  there  was  sunshine  at  the 
agency, — sunshine  and  prosperity,  and  then  came  mani 
festation  of  that  pride  which  gocth  before  destruction. 
Because  there  were  more  of  the  Ogallalla  tribe  than  of 
others  herded  there  when  originally  established  the 
agency  on  the  Chasing  Water  had  been  given  this 
name,  but  after  the  stirring  events  of  the  winter  and 
the  revolt  of  Red  Dog,  it  happened  that  rather  more 
of  the  Minneconjou  and  not  a  few  of  the  Uncapapa 
backsliders  were  gathered  among  the  grimy  tepees. 
Two  Lance  and  his  people,  having  made  their  way  to 
the  fold  of  Spotted  Tail,  were  permitted  to  abide  with 
him  as  a  result  of  the  earnest  plea  made  in  their  behalf 
by  the  general  in  command  of  the  department.  Young- 
Man-Afraid-of-His-Horses  and  some  other  chiefs  of 
the  wiser — the  peace  element,  had  also  been  trans 
ferred,  and  such  Ernie's  as  remained  under  the  wing 
of  McPhail  were  of  the  class  old  Spot  denounced  as 
"  devil-dreamers,"  men  who  would  stir  up  a  row  in 
any  community,  men  he  wouldn't  entertain  among  the 
lodges  of  his  people.  The  Uncapapas  were  of  Sitting 


UNDER   FIRE.  365 

Bull's  own  tribe,  malcontents  almost  to  a  man,  "  mouth- 
fighters"  who,  like  some  recent  exponents  of  Southern 
oratory,  were  far  more  conspicuous  after  than  during 
the  battle  days,  and  between  these  breeders  of  devilment 
and  the  renegade  Ernie's,  there  lay  the  village  of  Red 
Dog's  reviving  band, — three  gangs  of  aboriginal  jail 
birds  who  looked  upon  Red  Dog's  release  as  virtual  con 
fession  on  part  of  the  White  Father  that  he  dare  not 
keep  him,  and  they  were  only  waiting  until  the  grass 
sprouted  and  their  ponies  could  wax  fat  and  strong  to 
take  the  war-path  for  another  summer,  and  take  all 
they  could  carry  with  them  when  they  did  it.  April 
had  come.  The  last  vestiges  of  ice  and  snow  were 
slipping  away  out  of  the  broad,  sun-kissed  valley.  Up 
at  the  cantonments  a  stalwart  infantry  major  had  a  bat 
talion  of  the  Fortieth  out  along  the  prairie  slopes  for 
over  two  hours  every  morning,  drilling,  drilling,  drill 
ing,  until  officers  and  men  came  double-quicking  in  at 
11.30,  exuding  profanity  and  perspiration  from  every 
pore,  but  owning  up  to  it,  after  a  rub  down  and  a 
rest  and  a  hearty  dinner,  that  old  Alex  was  a  boss 
soldier  who  knew  how  to  take  the  conceit  out  of  the 
cavalry,  even  if  he  did  nearly  have  to  run  his  bandy- 
legs  off,  and  the  lean  shanks  of  his  men,  in  doing  it. 
The  cavalry  major  was  far  less  energetic.  He  sent  his 
troops  out  under  their  respective  chiefs,  and  ambled 
around  among  them  after  a  while  making  audible  com 
ment  to  this  captain  and  that,  but  never  drawing  sabre 
himself.  Cranston  had  a  capital  troop  and  was  a  born 
cavalryman  who  needed  neither  coach  nor  spur  and 
there  were  others  nearly  as  good  as  he,  but  each  worked 
on  his  own  system,  whereas  the  doughboys  pulled  to- 

31* 


366  UNDER  FIRE. 

getlier.  Not  to  be  outdone,  Davies  laid  out  a  riding- 
school  back  of  the  agency  corral,  and  every  day  had 
his  detachment  out  for  a  vigorous  mounted  gymnastic 
drill  as  well  as  another  at  platoon  exercise.  He  was 
wiry,  athletic,  and  an  enthusiastic  teacher,  and  pres 
ently  it  was  noted  that  the  Indians,  who  for  a  time 
hovered  impartially  all  over  the  prairies  and  elopes, 
watching  the  manoeuvres  of  the  soldiers,  began  gath 
ering  in  daily  augmenting  crowds  about  the  agency 
grounds,  frequently  applauding  the  leaping  and  hur 
dling,  but  only  too  readily  jeering  the  awkwardness  of 
some  of  the  men  in  mounting  and  dismounting  at  the 
gallop,  a  thing  they  had  learned  and  practised  since 
early  boyhood.  Then  Cranston  and  the  other  troop 
leaders  got  to  working  down  toward  the  agency  and, 
during  the  rests,  moving  close  up  to  the  corral  and 
watching  the  riding-school.  It  was  capital  work,  said 
Cranston  and  his  contemporaries,  though  some  jealous 
youngsters  used  to  say  to  their  cynical  selves  that  Par 
son  probably  "  put  up  a  prayer-meeting  as  a  stand-off." 
McPhail  and  his  people  began  to  come  out  and  look 
on,  and  Mira  to  watch  from  the  window,  for  she  still 
trembled  and  shrank  at  sight  of  the  savage  painted 
faces  and  glittering  eyes  of  the  Indians,  and  equally 
shrank  from  meeting  the  Cranstons.  But  presently 
Mrs.  Cranston  and  other  women  came  driving  over  in 
their  ambulances,  the  generic  term  by  which  army  car 
riages  were  known  in  the  days  when  a  provident  Con 
gress  first  began  curtailing  the  transportation  facilities 
of  the  line  where,  sous  entendu,  all  great  reformatory 
experiments  were  tried,  the  staff  being,  of  course,  be 
yond  even  congressional  suspicion,  and  so  it  resulted 


UNDER  FIRE.  367 

that  about  eleven  o'clock  every  fine  day  the  biggest 
gathering  of  the  people,  red  and  white,  in  all  the  broad 
valley  of  the  Chasing  Water,  as  far  east  as  its  con 
fluence  with  the  shadowy  Niobrara  and  thence  to  the 
shores  of  the  Big  Muddy,  was  that  to  be  found  about 
the  rectangular  space  where  the  Parson  held  forth  to 
his  faithful  squad. 

Now,  McPhail  came  back  to  his  recaptured  children 
with  conciliation  for  his  watchword,  willing,  eager  to 
shake  hands  with  one  and  all  from  Red  Dog  down,  or 
up,  according  to  the  proper  plane  of  that  warrior  on 
the  scale  of  merit;  but  as  he  noted  the  humility  of 
bearing  exhibited  by  all  except  a  truculent  few,  and 
the  evident  awe  with  which  even  these  looked  upon 
the  stern  and  taciturn  commander  of  his  guard,  the 
agent  began,  like  Mulvaney  after  his  fifth  drink,  "  to 
think  scornful  av  elephints,"  in  other  words,  of  the  red 
wards  of  his  bailiwick,  and  with  McPhail  to  "  think 
scornful"  was  to  act.  Just  in  proportion  as  he  was 
meek  and  cringing  before  did  he  become  arrogant  and 
abusive  now.  There  was  no  Boynton  on  hand  to  warn 
him  with  what  he  termed  brutal  bluntness  that  he  was 
tempting  Providence  again.  Even  the  worm  will  turn, 
and  the  difference  between  the  worm  and  the  Indian  is 
that  one  can  anticipate  the  former  and  prepare  for  the 
blow.  Up  to  the  10th  of  April  Red  Dog  had  held 
himself  haughtily  apart  from  the  whites — agent,  officers, 
troops,  and  all,  but  there  were  half-breeds  and  scouts 
who  warned  them  that  the  humiliation  of  his  capture 
still  rankled  in  his  bosom,  and  that  a  mad  thirst  for 
revenge  possessed  him.  "  Watch  him  as  you  would  a 
snake/'  said  old  Spotted  Tail  himself,  when  he  came 


368  UNDER   FIRE. 

down  to  visit  the  agency.  "  He  never  sleeps  without 
dreaming  of  vengeance."  The  agent  told  Davies  what 
the  loyal  old  chief  had  said,  and  Davies  looked  grave, 
but  made  no  reply.  He  was  thinking,  however,  of 
Mira's  danger.  Indians  could  not  be  put  under  bonds 
to  keep  the  peace,  however :  the  Bureau's  system 
being  to  let  them  kill  first  and  explain  afterwards.  It 
wasn't  pleasing  to  the  relatives  of  the  deceased  or  even 
to  the  army,  but  what  were  they  among  so  many  ? — the 
millions  of  Indian  sympathizers  dwelling  at  discreet 
distance. 

One  morning  half  a  dozen  ladies  drove  down  from 
the  cantonment,  and  their  wagons  were  ranged  up  close 
alongside  the  rail  near  the  high  hurdle.  Around  them 
were  thickly  clustered  a  number  of  squaws  and  chil 
dren  and  a  few  Indian  boys,  though  most  of  the  men, 
old  or  young,  kept  to  their  ponies  around  on  the  south 
and  east  sides.  McPhail  came  out  later  with  his 
household,  and  really  was  not  unprepared  to  find  his 
usual  place,  on  a  little  raised  platform,  pre-empted  by 
a  score  of  blanketed  "  reds."  Mac  had  some  odd  views. 
He  couldn't  understand  why  the  soldiers  should  not  be 
made  to  salute  him  as  they  did  their  own  officers,  who, 
having  occasionally  to  report  to  him  for  instructions, 
might  be  considered  as  his  inferiors.  He  liked  to 
impress  the  ladies  of  the  cantonment  with  the  extent 
of  his  power  and  authority,  and  had  more  than  once 
interrupted  the  proceedings  in  the  ring  by  loudly- 
shouted  orders  to  some  of  the  Indians  on  the  other 
side.  This  annoyed  Davies,  but  he  said  nothing. 
McPhail  spoke  of  the  detachment  as  "  My  guard," 
etc.,  and  once  or  twice  in  the  presence  of  the  army 


UNDER  FIRE.  369 

ladies  had  addressed  Davies  iii  the  crisp,  curt  tone  of 
the  superior  officer,  or  such  imitatiou  of  it  as  he  was 
enabled  to  compass,  and  this,  too,  the  young  man  had 
suffered  without  remark,  though  with  a  quiet  smile. 
Seeing  the  swarm  of  Indians  on  McPhaiPs  platform, 
Mrs.  Cranston  and  Miss  Loomis  presently  called  to 
him  to  bring  Mrs.  McPhail  to  a  seat  in  their  wagon, 
but  the  agent  sprang  up  on  the  flimsy  structure, 
sharply  ordering  off  the  Indians  right  and  left,  and 
emphasizing  his  order  with  his  boot  toes.  Mac's 
twelve-year-old  son,  taking  the  cue  from  his  father, 
proceeded  to  deliver  a  vicious  kick  at  a  slowly-moving, 
blanketed  form,  and  the  very  next  instant  was  scream 
ing  for  help,  flat  on  his  back  among  a  swarm  of  Indian 
boys.  All  in  a  second  the  little  savage  had  flashed 
out  of  his  blanket  like  lightning  from  a  black  cloud, 
and,  grappling,  had  hurled  McPhail  junior  to  earth. 
The  agent  made  a  furious  lunge  to  the  rescue  of  his 
first-born,  and  the  squawrs  and  young  girls  scattered 
shrieking  at  his  charge.  Startled  and  excited,  the 
horses  of  Cranston's  wagon  whirled  sharply  around, 
nearly  capsizing  the  vehicle.  Other  horses  followed 
suit  despite  the  efforts  of  their  drivers,  and  in  less 
than  a  moment  all  the  young  braves  on  the  opposite 
side  came  lashing  their  ponies  at  mad  gallop  around 
the  long  rectangle  just  as  McPhail  reappeared  on  the 
platform,  bringing  captive  a  furiously  struggling  In 
dian  boy  screaming  with  rage  and  yelling  for  help. 
In  less  than  that  moment  too,  it  seemed,  Percy  Davies 
had  leaped  his  horse  over  the  breast-high  barrier  and 
spurred  to  the  heads  of  Cranston's  team,  seizing  the 
reins  of  the  near  horse.  "  Come  right  on/'  he  shouted 
y 


370  UNDER   FIRE. 

to  the  driver.     "  Let  them  follow  me."     Out  through 

o 

the  surging,  scurrying  crowd  he  guided  them  to  the 
edge  of  the  road,  then,  pointing  to  the  cantonment, 
called  to  the  driver,  "Home  with  you,  quick!"  And 
with  hardly  a  glance  at  the  grateful  occupants,  whirl 
ing  his  horse  about,  he  burst  his  way  back  again 
through  the  excited  crowd  until  he  found  himself  at 
the  edge  of  the  platform.  Already  a  dozen  Indians 
were  furiously  demanding  the  release  of  the  prisoner. 
Little  McPhail  had  scudded  for  home;  Mira's  white 
face  had  disappeared  from  her  window.  Some  of  the 
guard  had  darted  into  the  corral  for  their  arms,  others, 
unarmed,  had  pressed  to  the  support  of  the  agent.  Be 
fore  Davies  could  reach  him  four  warriors  were  out  of 
their  blankets  and  high-pommelled  saddles,  and  had 
hurled  themselves  on  McPhail.  "Rescue!  Help!'7 
he  screamed,  with  ashen  face,  releasing  the  Indian  boy 
and  vainly  striving  to  draw  his  revolver.  Away  sped 
the  escaped  captive,  darting  between  the  legs  of  strug 
gling  braves,  sheltered  by  the  robes  of  hurrying  squaws ; 
away,  right,  left,  anywhere,  everywhere,  scattered  the 
blanketed,  jabbering  groups,  leaving  on  the  scene  of 
action  only  the  agent,  the  quickly  rallying  guard,  and 
upward  of  fivescore  of  jeering,  taunting  screeching 
warriors,  at  least  a  dozen  of  them  now  dismounted, 
dancing  and  brandishing  knife  and  tomahawk,  rifle  or 
revolver,  about  the  still  writhing  group  rolling  upon 
the  wooden  floor, — McPhail  and  his  assailants.  Into 
the  midst  of  this  mad  mellay  sprang  the  cavalryman, 
turning  loose  his  horse,  which  animal,  urged  by  shrill 
yells  and  slyly  administered  lashings,  went  tearing 
away  over  the  prairie.  Right  at  the  lieutenant's  back, 


UNDER   FIRK.  371 

almost  as  ho  had  fought  his  way  with  him,  nozzle  in 
hand,  into  the  ruck  of  the  rioting  crowd  at  Bluff 
Siding,  striking  out  scientifically  with  his  clinched 
fists,  charged  young  Brannan,  only  three  days  since 
transferred  to  the  agency  guard.  Vaulting  the  low 
rail  and  lunging  in  among  the  devil-dreamers,  came 
Sergeant  Lutz  and  a  squad  of  his  fellow-troopers, 
and  in  a  dozen  seconds,  breathless  and  dust-begrimed, 
half  stifled,  but  practically  unhurt,  the  agent  was 
dragged  from  among  the  whirl  of  moccasined  feet  and 
propped  up,  panting  and  swearing,  against  the  rail, 
while  burly  forms  in  trooper  blue  were  hustling  the 
half-raging,  half-jeering  crowd  of  warriors  off  the 
platform.  Even  in  the  moment  of  mad  excitement 
they  knew  too  much  to  use  their  weapons.  Wise  old 
heads  had  been  cautioning  them  against  any  deed  of 
blood  so  long  as  the  grass  was  barely  beginning  to 
shoot.  All  they  demanded  was  the  instant  release  of 
that  boy,  the  chieftain's  son,  but  incidentally,  if  Mc- 
Phail  insisted  on  wrestling,  they  could  not  deny  the 
Great  Father's  man  or  spare  him  vigorous  handling 
while  about  it.  Davies  had  seized  one  brawny,  muscu 
lar  throat  and  sent  a  gauntleted  fist  plump  against  the 
sweat-gleaming  jaw  of  a  second  brave.  Brannan  had 
backed  him  with  half  a  dozen  well -delivered  blows, 
but  even  these  had  evoked  neither  shot  nor  knife. 
The  instant  the  savages  realized  that  it  was  the  young 
commander  of  the  guard,  they  seemed  to  give  way 
without  further  struggle,  and  so  it  resulted  that  in  a 
moment  more  every  red-skin  was  off  that  sacred  square 
of  board,  and  that  a  thick,  deep  semicircle  of  warriors, 
some  few  afoot,  but  most  of  them  astride  their  ponies, 


372  UNDER  FIRE. 

glowered  in  silence  now  at  the  tall  soldier  who,  interpos 
ing  between  them  and  the  victim  of  their  rude  horse  play, 
stood  confronting  them  with  grave,  set,  indomitable 
look  in  his  pale  face,  on  which  the  sweat  was  already 
starting.  Behind  the  officer,  leaping  up  on  the  plat 
form,  were  now  a  little  squad  of  his  men,  and  Mc- 
Phail,  fuming  and  raging  malevolently.  "  Arrest 
those  blackguards,  arrest  them  instantly,  Davies ! 
Every  man  of  them,  by  God  !  They  shall  pay  for 
this  or  there's  no  power  in  Washington. "  But  Davies 
never  moved  hand  or  foot.  Calmly  eying  the  sur 
rounding  crowd,  he  was  searching  for  some  familiar 
face  among  the  scowling  warriors.  Some  few  were 
men  well  on  in  years,  others  mere  striplings.  Some 
were  still  covertly  fuming  with  rage  for  battle,  others 
slyly  tittering  at  the  agent's  expense,  but  all  faces  were 
turned  in  instant  interest,  all  ears  attent  when  Davies 
began  to  speak.  "Where  is  Charging  Bear?"  he 
asked.  "What  is  the  meaning  of  this  riot?" 

Probably  not  ten  Indians  in  the  throng  could  speak 
a  dozen  words  of  reputable  English  ;  probably  not  ten, 
however,  failed  to  read  his  meaning. 

"Charging  Bear  is  not  here,"  suddenly  spoke  in 
deep  guttural  a  grizzly  Indian,  who  urged  his  pony 
forward.  "  The  son  of  McPhail  struck  and  kicked 
the  son  of  White  Wolf, — the  son- of  a  clerk  struck  the 
first-born  of  a  war  chief,  and  the  Great  Father's  man 
would  punish,  not  the  striker,  but  the  struck." 

"Nab  that  damned  lying  scoundrel,  Davies.  He 
put  'em  up  to  this  whole  business.  He's  another  of 
your  mission  whelps.  I  know  you,  Thunder  Hawk," 
continued  McPhail,  his  courage  and  his  choler  rising 


UNDER  FIRE.  373 

alike  as  he  saw  that  the  Indians  were  slowly  recoiling, 
and  evidently  meant  no  further  mischief.  "  I  know 
you,  and  I  order  your  arrest  right  here  and  now.  As 
for  the  young  dog  that  attacked  my  son,  I'll  demand 
him  of  White  Wolf  in  half  an  hour  with  five  hundred 
soldiers  at  my  back." 

"  Then  bring  your  own,  who  gave  Ihe  first  blow,  if 
you  want  him  in  exchange.  As  for  me,"  continued 
the  old  man,  in  calm  dignity,  "  I  have  done  no  wrong, 
but  my  people  shall  not  be  made  to  suffer  because  of 
me.  I  know  the  power  of  the  Great  Father,  but  he 
would  not  demand  my  surrender  to  such  as  you.  Here 
is  the  chief  to  whom  the  Indian  yields,"  he  said,  turn 
ing  to  the  lieutenant,  and  then,  riding  a  pony  length 
closer,  gravely  swung  his  handsome  repeating  rifle 
from  its  gayly-fringed  sheath  of  skins  and  extended  it, 
butt  foremost,  to  Da  vies. 

But  before  that  officer  could  receive  the  proffered 
rifle  a  warning  cry  came  from  the  outskirts  of  the 
swarm.  There  was  instantaneous  lashing  of  quirts,  a 
sudden  scurry  and  rush,  aud  like  one  great  herd  of  elk 
smitten  with  sudden  panic,  away  surged  and  sped  the 
entire  throng,  Thunder  Hawk's  stampeded  pony  bear 
ing  him  irresistibly  away  with  the  rest.  Only  a  cloud 
of  dust  settling  slowly  to  earth  remained  to  greet  the 
long  line  of  Cranston's  troop  as  it  came  sweeping  in 
from  the  foot-hills  at  thundering  gallop.  Far  out 
across  the  prairie  the  manoeuvring  cavalry  had  sniffed 
the  "  sign"  of  trouble  at  the  agency,  and  his  was  the 
first  to  answer  the  alarm. 


374  UNDER  FIRE. 


CHAPTER    XXVII. 

AGAIN  was  there  scene  of  mad  excitement  among 
the  Indian  villages  on  the  Chasing  Water.  Again  was 
Red  Dog  in  saddle,  exhorting,  declaiming,  prophe 
sying,  but  with  no  such  ready  result  as  during  the 
winter  days  gone  by.  It  was  one  thing  to  rally  to 
the  standard  of  a  war  chief  and  follow  him  on  a  raid 
against  the  agent  of  the  Great  Father  when  but  a  hand 
ful  of  soldiers  could  back  the  authorities.  It  was 
quite  another  to  rise  in  revolt  when  five  hundred  war- 
trained  blue-coats  were  aligned  to  defend  him.  Within 
two  hours  after  the  exciting  scene  at  the  corral  the 
Indians  in  every  band  knew  that  McPhail  had  launched 
his  ultimatum  at  the  little  village  of  White  Wolf. 
"  Send  in  Chaska,  the  assailant  of  my  son,  and  Thunder 
Hawk,  the  boaster,  or  there  is  war  between  the  Great 
Father  and  you  and  yours." 

Already  had  Chaska  and  Chaska's  mother,  with 
three  trusty  friends,  mounted  on  swift  ponies,  been 
spirited  away  northward,  with  instructions  to  ride  all 
night  through  the  devious  trails  of  the  Bad  Lands, 
and  never  draw  rein  until  they  reached  the  shelter  of 
the  Uncapapa  lodges  beyond  the  Wakpa  Schicha. 
Already  had  Red  Dog  dashed  over  to  the  lodge  of 
Thunder  Hawk,  offering  him  asylum  in  the  heart  of 
his  tribe,  and  pledging  his  uttermost  brave  to  his  de 
fence.  But  the  old  Indian  would  none  of  him.  Long 
years  before,  a  fatherless  boy,  he  had  been  reared  and 


UNDER  FIRE.  375 

taught  by  a  priest  of  the  Church  of  Rome, — is  there  a 
people  they  do  not  know,  a  peril  they  do  not  dare  ? — 
and  when  finally  his  frieud  and  teacher  and  protector 
was  gathered  to  his  fathers  and  laid  in  the  old  mission 
churchyard,  the  boy  drifted  back  to  his  tribe,  a  mature 
and  thoughtful  man,  to  find  his  kindred  among  the 
tents  of  the  Ogallallas, — among,  worse  luck,  the  mal 
contents  of  Red  Cloud.  From  this  time  on  he  had 
cast  his  lot  with  them,  marrying,  rearing  children, 
yet  but  slowly  gaining  influence  among  them.  When 
his  great  and  cruel  chief  lured  the  garrison  of  a  moun 
tain  stockade  into  the  neighboring  hills  and  massacred 
every  man,  Hawk  had  refused  to  take  part.  His  heart 
was  not  at  war  with  the  whites.  When  swarms  of  the 
warriors  left  to  join  the  great  renegade  bands  gathering 
under  Crazy  Horse  and  Gall  to  reinforce  Sitting  Bull, 
Hawk  had  held  aloof.  "The  people  of  Red  Cloud," 
said  he,  "  have  no  grounds  for  war.  The  Great  Father 
has  done  everything  he  promised  them  and  more/'  and 
Red  Cloud  called  him  dastard  and  squaw ;  but  when 
an  Indian  girl  was  missing  from  her  lodge,  and  the 
gossips  told  how  she  had  been  lured  by  a  white  soldier 
to  the  distant  banks  of  the  Laramie,  Hawk  rode 
thither,  rode  into  the  presence  of  the  post  commander 
and  told  her  story  and  his,  and  found  and  brought  her 
back  to  her  people.  He  strove  to  find  the  man  for 
whose  sake  she  had  abandoned  her  father's  lodge  and 
forfeited  her  good  name.  Hawk  well  knew  how  futile 
was  her  trust  that  the  white  chief  would  ever  claim 
her  as  his  wife,  but  among  so  many  comrades  he  was 
concealed,  and  Hawk  left  his  message.  Sooner  or  later 
his  people  should  find  the  white  man  who  had  wrought 


376  UNDER  FIRE. 

the  wrong  and  his  days  were  numbered.  Every  knife 
in  all  his  band  was  whetted  for  that  particular  scalp. 
And  now  again,  when  Indian  blood  had  been  fired  by 
the  insult  to  the  son  of  White  Wolf,  he  stepped  for 
ward  to  interpose  between  his  people  and  the  fury  of 
the  Great  Father's  man.  He  had  repressed,  not  in 
cited  the  wrath  of  his  brothers,  but  the  agent  in  au 
thority  ruled  otherwise  and  demanded  his  surrender. 
His  people  would  have  fought  to  save  him.  He  would 
suffer  willingly  rather  than  that  one  drop  of  blood 
should  be  spilt  on  his  account.  Refusing  Red  Dog's 
clamorous  offer,  Thunder  Hawk  mounted  his  pony 
and,  despite  the  wails  and  lamentations  of  his  village, 
rode  forth  in  calm  dignity  to  meet  the  coming  soldiery, 
to  offer  in  silent  submission  his  hands  to  the  clinch  of 
the  steel. 

The  recall  had  sounded  at  the  cantonment,  and 
mounted  orderlies  had  galloped  out  to  bring  in  such 
troops  as  might  have  trotted  too  far  away  for  the  sound. 
The  infantry  battalion,  practising  skirmish  drill,  had 
quickly  rallied,  re-formed,  and  was  marched  within 
the  log  walls  to  exchange  blank  for  ball  cartridge  and 
await  orders.  The  four  cavalry  troops  galloped  back 
to  their  stables  and  dismounted,  while  their  officers 
gathered  about  the  major  commanding.  Cranston  to 
him  had  briefly  recounted  the  story  of  the  excitement 
as  he  had  heard  it  from  McPhail's  lips.  "  I  am  bound 
to  say,  sir,"  said  he,  "  that  Mr.  Davies  did  not  seem  to 
agree  with  the  agent  in  either  his  statements  or  his  con 
clusions.  He  considers  the  agent  to  have  been  the  ag 
gressor,  and  if  he  is  required  to  go  to  arrest  Hawk  and 
White  Woll's  boy,  it  will  be  with  an  unwilling  hand." 


UNDER   FIRE.  377 

"Yes,"  said  the  major,  coldly,  "the  trouble  with 
Da  vies  seems  to  be  that  he  has  displayed  similar  un 
willingness  on  previous  occasions." 

The  command  of  the  cantonment  had  been  given  to 
this  veteran  field  officer  of  infantry,  a  man  whose 
motto  had  been  fight  from  boyhood  on.  For  ten  days 
had  he  been  hammering  away  here,  hours  at  a  time, 
to  get  his  own  battalion  in  readiness  for  what  he  con 
sidered  the  inevitable  summer's  work.  He  had  fought 
every  one  of  the  dozen  or  more  tribes  of  plains  In 
dians,  and  considered  fighting  their  normal  condition 
as  it  was  his  own.  He  had  made  it  his  boast  that 
during  the  previous  summer  his  battalion,  day  after 
day,  had  outmarched  the  cavalry,  and  even  while  the 
statement  was  misleading,  the  boast  was  based  on  facts. 
The  horses  of  the  cavalry,  starved  and  staggering,  worn 
to  skin  and  bone,  had  to  be  towed  along  instead  of 
ridden,  and  the  cavalry  were  therefore  handicapped. 
Yet  there  was  not  a  trooper  who  did  not  honor  the 
bluff  senior  major,  and  none  who  really  disliked  him, 
except  perhaps  the  battalion  commander  of  the  cav 
alry,  a  gentleman  whose  gold  leaves  were  as  dazzlingly 
new  as  the  senior's  were  old  and  withered,  and  just 
about  to  be  changing  into  silver,  the  silver  of  the  lieu 
tenant-colonel.  The  contrast  between  Major  White's 
spirited  handling  of  his  battalion  of  foot  and  Major 
Chromes's  listless  management  of  a  similar  body  of 
horse  was  vivid  in  the  last  degree.  The  latter  and  two 
of  his  troops  belonged  to  Atherton's  fine  regiment,  the 
— th,  the  other  two  troops,  Cranston's  and  Truman's, 
were,  as  we  know,  of  the  Eleventh,  and  here  in  pres 
ence  of  four  officers  of  the  latter's  regiment,  and  a 


378  UNDER   FIRE. 

dozen  of  the  Fortieth  Foot  and  of  the  — th  Horse, — 
here  on  the  broad  parade  of  the  cantonment,  at  high 
noon  and  in  plain  sight  and  hearing  even  of  three 
or  four  enlisted  men,  orderlies,  horse-holders,  etc.,  had 
the  post  commander  spoken  words  that  meant  nothing 
short  of  discredit,  if  not  disgrace,  to  the  subaltern  who 
was  at  that  very  instant  riding  away  on  a  perilous  as 
well  as  thankless  mission.  Deep,  embarrassed  silence 
fell  on  one  and  all  of  the  major's  hearers  for  a  single 
instant.  Cranston  reddened  with  indignation,  little 
Sanders  with  wrath.  Truman  looked  quickly  and 
curiously  about  him.  All  three  were  eager  and  ready 
to  speak,  yet  by  common  consent  the  duty  devolved 
upon  Cranston,  who  took  the  floor. 

"  It  would  be  idle,  Major  White,  to  feign  ignorance 
of  what  you  refer  to,  but  let  me  say  right  here  and 
now  that  you  have  been  utterly  misled  as  to  that  young 
officer's  character,  and  I  doubt  if  you  properly  estimate 
that  of  his  detractors." 

"  I  base  my  opinion  on  a  cavalry  report,  Captain 
Cranston, — on  Mr.  Archer's  vindication  of  Captain 
Devers." 

"As  one-sided  a  report  as  was  ever  written,  sir,  for 
the  other  side — Mr.  Davies — had  never  a  hearing, — 
never  even  heard  of  the  investigation  itself  until  a 
week  ago,  and  is  now  bound  to  silence  pending  action 
at  department  head-quarters ;  but  meantime,  sir,  as  a 
friend  of  his,  and  a  man  who  believes  in  him,  I  protest 
against  any  such  impression  as  you  have  received,  and 
I  ask  you  how  it  is  that  you  can  believe  such  a  story 
of  an  officer  who,  single-handed,  arrested  Red  Dog  in 
the  face  of  his  followers?  There  has  been  an  insidious 


UNDER  FIRE.  379 

influence  at  work  against  him  ever  since  last  summer, 
and  we  of  the  Eleventh  know  just  where  to  place  it." 

"  If  Fve  wronged  him,  Cranston,  you  know  me  well 
enough  to  know  that  I'll  make  every  amend  possible. 
I  have  heard,  I  own,  much  more  than  Archer's  report, 
so  have  my  brother  officers,  not  only  before  the  recent 
outbreak  in  which  he  seems  to  have  outwrestled  Red 
Dog,  but  since.  Since  his  recent  visit  to  Scott  stories 
have  come  to  our  ears  very  much  to  his  discredit." 

"  Not  from  Leonard,  sir,  I  warrant  you,"  interposed 
Cranston,  hotly. 

"  No,  not  from  Leonard,  for  Leonard  never  talks 
against  anybody,  but  from  officers  at  Scott  who  seem 
to  speak  by  the  card.  There  is  general  indignation 
because  of  his  affront  to  the  wife  of  one  of  our  number. 
If  your  friend  is  so  far  above  suspicion,  and  did  not 
feel  some  sense  of  the  sentiment  against  him,  why  did 
he  utterly  shun  the  society  of 'every  officer  at  the  post 
— except  the  chaplain  ?  It  reminds  me  of  that  English 
snob  who  was  sent  to  Coventry  for  abandoning  the 
Prince  Imperial,  and  then  took  refuge  in  the  prayers 
of  the  Church." 

"  Major  White,  there  are  reasons  for  Davies's  conduct 
for  which  I  will  be  answerable,  and  which  you  could 
not  fail  to  respect.  The  fault,  sir,  lay  on  the  other 
side.  This  is  something  that  can't  be  discussed  here, 
for  a  woman's  war  is  mixed  up  in  it,  but  if  I  have  any 
place  in  your  esteem,  let  me  urge  you  to  suspend  judg 
ment.  While  the  responsibility  for  the  original  wrong 
done  Davies  must  rest  in  my  regiment,  there  have  been 
later  wrongs  done  him  in  yours,  and  I  learn  it  for  the 
first  time  to-day." 


380  UNDER  FIRE. 

It  was  an  impressive  scene,  this  impromptu  gather 
ing  at  the  foot  of  the  flag-staff  while  anxiously  await 
ing  further  tidings  from  the  agency.  Over  among  the 
quarters  the  humid  eyes  of  frightened  women  peered 
from  many  a  door-way,  watching  with  fluttering  hearts 
for  sign  of  action.  Stacking  arms  in  front  of  their 
barracks,  the  infantry  had  been  sent  in  to  a  hurried 
dinner,  and  the  cavalry  horses,  saddled,  still  stood  at 
the  lines,  watched  by  a  few  troopers,  while  the  rest  were 
packing  saddle-bags  and  taking  a  bite  on  their  own 
account.  The  sentries  to  the  eastward  kept  gazing 
over  toward  the  grim  stockade  and  the  clustering 
groups  of  Indian  lodges  far  away  down-stream.  Ten 
minutes  since  a  party  of  a  dozen  troopers  had  been 
seen  to  ride  slowly  away  from  the  agency  in  the 
direction  of  White  Wolfs  tepees,  a  mile  beyond ; 
"Davies  going  to  demand  the  surrender"  were  the 
words  that  passed  from  mouth  to  mouth  and  gave  the 
text  for  the  startling  conversation  that  had  just  taken 
place,  a  topic  which  was  now  by  common  consent 
dropped  as  having  reached  a  point  where  the  utmost 
caution  should  be  observed.  Everybody  seemed  to 
know  in  some  mysterious  way  that  the  circulators  of 
the  new  and  unflattering  stories  about  Davies  were  not 
so  much  the  invalid  colonel  or  Messrs.  Flight  and 
Darling  of  the  Fortieth  as  their  more  voluble,  active, 
and  dangerous  helpmeets.  Indeed,  the  very  day  Trooper 
Brannan  arrived,  transferred  by  regimental  orders  from 
"  A"  to  "  C"  troop,  he  brought  one  letter  from  Mrs. 
Leonard  to  Mrs.  Cranston,  and  two  or  three,  each,  of 
the  missives  of  Mesdames  Stone,  Flight,  and  Darling 
to  ladies  at  the  cantonment.  Mrs.  Leonard^  letter 


UNDER  FIRE.  381 

said  that  her  husband,  the  adjutant,  had  been  sum 
moned  by  telegraph  to  General  Sheridan's  office  in 
Chicago,  and  he  expected  to  be  gone  a  week.  No 
trace  had  been  found  of  the  papers  stolen  from  his 
desk,  but  it  was  undoubtedly  on  that  business  that  he 
had  been  sent  for,  and  Mrs.  Leonard  felt  confident  that 
when  he  returned  it  would  be  with  news  that  full 
justice  would  at  last  be  awarded  Mr.  Davies  for  his 
conduct  during  the  campaign  as  well  as  at  the  agency, 
and  Mrs.  Leonard  could  not  control  the  impulse  to  add, 
"  If  justice  could  only  be  meted  out  to  his  accuser  ! — 
but  will  that  man  ever  get  his  deserts  ?" 

It  must  be  owned  that  Mrs.  Leonard  had  good 
grounds  for  being  doubtful  on  that  point. 

Meantime  how  fared  it  with  the  embassy  to  White 
Wolf?  Smarting  under  the  injury  to  his  pride  and 
person,  McPhail  had  decided  to  inflict  severe  humilia 
tion  on  the  red  men  prominent  in  the  affair.  First, 
White  Wolfs  boy  should  be  made  to  suffer,  and  then 
Thunder  Hawk,  who  had  dared  to  oppose  his  views, 
should  be  ironed  as  an  iuciter  of  riot  and  placed  under 
guard.  Knowing  the  feeling  of  veneration,  almost  of 
awe,  with  which  Davies  was  regarded  by  many  of  the 
Indians,  he  desired  to  avail  himself  of  the  fact  and  send 
him  to  make  the  arrest,  and  at  last  Davies  asserted 
himself.  Calmly,  but  positively,  he  refused.  "My 
orders  are  simply  to  protect  the  agency  and  the  agent 
and  his  family  from  attack,"  said  he,  "  not  to  act  as 
the  agent's  police." 

u  Do  you  refuse  to  obey  my  orders  ?"  asked  Mc 
Phail,  angrily. 

"  You  are  not  empowered  to  give  me  any  orders,  Mr. 


382  UNDER   FIRE. 

McPhail, — above  all,  such  orders.  It  is  no  question 
of  obedience  or  disobedience." 

"  Then  I'll  ask  to  have  you  relieved  and  sent  to  your 
regiment,  and  some  man  sent  here  who  will  do  his 
duty,"  said  McPhail. 

"  You  cannot  do  it  too  soon,  sir,"  was  the  answer. 
"  It  has  been  most  unwelcome  from  the  start,  and  I 
shall  now  ask  to  be  relieved  in  any  event." 

And  so,  finding  Davies  inflexible,  Mr.  McPhail  had 
no  alternative  but  to  go  himself.  He  had  sent  his  de 
mand  ;  it  had  met  with  no  response.  He  must  attempt 
the  arrest  in  person  or  become  the  laughing-stock  of  his 
Indian  wards.  Here  at  last  Davies  had  to  back  him. 
It  might  be  true  that  the  officer  would  be  sustained 
in  his  refusal  to  go  and  do  his  bidding,  but  if  the  agent 
went  in  person  the  lieutenant  would  have  to  send  a  de 
tachment  as  a  guard.  Davies  did  more.  He  calmly 
informed  McPhail  that  he  should  place  himself  at  the 
head  of  the  party  and  protect  him  to  the  extent  of  his 
ability  ;  and  so  with  the  detachment  as  it  marcheda  way, 
watched  by  many  an  anxious  eye,  rode  McPhail  with 
his  agency  interpreter. 

And  when  barely  half-way  to  the  cluster  of  tepees 
among  the  cottonwoods  at  the  point,  there  came  to 
meet  them  in  solitary  state  old  Thunder  Hawk  him 
self.  He  wore  no  barbaric  finery.  His  pony  was  des 
titute  of  trappings.  He,  himself,  wore  not  even  a 
revolver.  Everything  that  might  speak  of  war  or 
even  self-defence  was  left  behind.  When  within  a 
hundred  yards  of  the  foremost  horsemen  he  reined  in 
his  pony  and  calmly  awaited  their  approach. 

Half  a  mile  farther  down  the  valley,  clustered    in 


UNDER  FIRE.  383 

front  of  their  lodges,  some  of  them  lashing  about  on 
their  excited  ponies,  could  be  plainly  seen  the  warriors 
of  Red  Dog's  band,  and  that  that  hot-blooded  chief 
was  in  their  midst  could  hardly  be  doubted,  though 
he  was  too  far  away  for  personal  recognition.  All  at 
once  the  seething  group  seemed  to  obey  some  word  of 
command,  for  it  heaved  suddenly  forward,  and,  breast 
ing  its  way  through  the  scattering  outskirts,  just  as  it 
had  advanced  on  the  agency  that  moonlit  winter's 
night,  the  centre  burst  into  view,  one  accurate  rank  of 
mounted  Indians,  and  in  another  moment,  wheeling 
and  circling,  all  the  individual  horsemen  came  ranging 
into  line  at  the  flanks,  and,  reinforced  every  moment 
by  galloping  braves  from  the  villages  in  the  rear,  Red 
Dog's  big  squadron,  like  Clan  Alpine,  came  sweeping 
up  the  vale.  Borne  on  the  treeze  like  one  long  wail 
of  foreboding,  the  weird  chant  of  squaws  and  stay- 
behinds  was  wafted  to  the  ears  of  the  agency  party. 
Another  instant  and  the  song  was  taken  up  in  swelling 
chorus  by  the  coming  foe.  McPhail,  who  had  spurred 
eagerly  forward  as  Thunder  Hawk  halted,  now  ir 
resolutely  checked  his  horse  and  glanced  back,  as 
though  feeling  for  the  support  of  the  grim  and  silent 
guard. 

"  By  God,  Mr.  Davies,  I  believe  that  traitor  Red 
Dog  means  mischief!" 

Making  no  reply  whatever,  the  lieutenant  simply 
raised  his  sword  arm  in  signal  to  his  party, — halt ! 
whereat,  sniffing  the  tainted  breeze  and  anxiously  eye 
ing  the  distant  cavalcade,  the  horses  of  Davies's  party 
stood  nervously  pawing  and  stamping.  Evidently 
they  liked  the  outlook  as  little  as  did  McPhail.  And 


384  UNDER  FIRE. 

there,  all  alone,  fifty  yards  out  in  their  front  now, 
grave  and  motionless,  still  sat  old  Thunder  Hawk. 

"  Do  you  suppose  they  will  try  to  rescue  if  we  arrest 
him  here?"  asked  McPhail. 

"Very  probably.  They  regard  him  as  a  martyr, 
and  so  do  I,"  was  the  answer. 

"  Here  !  gallop  to  the  cantonments  for  help  at  once," 
said  McPhail  to  his  interpreter.  "  Say  that  Red  Dog 
and  his  whole  gang  are  coming,"  he  shouted,  instantly 
reining  about  and  looking  anxiously  back.  Behind 
him,  nearly  a  thousand  yards,  lay  the  low,  squat 
buildings  of  his  official  station.  Beyond  that,  nearly 
two  thousand  more,  and  but  for  the  flag  and  staff 
almost  indistinguishable  from  the  dull  hues  of  the 
prairie,  except  to  Indian  eye,  lay  the  low  log  walls 
of  the  cantonment.  Already  signs  of  alarm  and 
bustle  could  be  seen  about  the  former.  A  buck-board 
was  just  hurriedly  driving  off,  full  gallop,  for  the 
distant  barracks,  scudding  for  shelter  before  the  storm 
should  break.  Evidently  Mrs.  McPhail  didn't  mean 
to  stand  siege  in  her  cellars  this  time.  Already  Lutz, 
who  remained  with  the  reserve,  had  mounted  his  men 
and  was  trotting  out  to  the  support  of  the  advance. 
Already  the  long,  barbaric  array  of  Red  Dog's  band 
had  come  within  rifle-range,  and  their  clamoring  chief, 
all  bristling  with  eagle  feathers,  rode  up  and  down  across 
their  advancing  front,  brandishing  aloft  his  gleaming 
rifle.  "  Watch  him  as  you  would  a  snake,"  indeed  ! 
Here  he  came  once  more  in  open,  defiant  hostility,  bent 
beyond  possibility  of  doubt  on  instant  attack  should 
the  agent  attempt  to  lay  hands  on  Thunder  Hawk. 

"  Come  in  here,  Hawk.     I  suppose  you  surrender  !" 


UNDER  FIRE.  385 

veiled  McPhail,  nervously.  Evidently  something  had 
to  be  done,  and  done  at  once. 

"  Not  to  you,"  was  the  determined  answer.  "  I  will 
surrender  to  soldiers  when  they  demand,  and  to  them 
only,  and  I'll  await  justice  as  their  prisoner  and  not  as 
yours." 

"  My  God  !  Mr.  Davies,  you've  got  to  do  some 
thing  !"  wailed  the  agent,  shrinking  still  farther  back 
now,  as  Red  Dog's  line  unmistakably  quickened  the 
pace  and  the  earth  began  to  quiver  and  tremble. 

"  Take  the  men  and  fall  back  towards  the  agency, 
sir,"  said  Davies,  quickly,  sternly,  and  then  without 
an  instant's  hesitation  spurred  forward.  As  he  rode  he 
whipped  off  his  right  gauntlet,  and  then  halting  within 
a  horse-length  of  the  silent  warrior,  held  out  his  bare 
hand.  "  Thunder  Hawk,  this  is  the  hand  of  a  friend. 
Will  you  ride  with  me  and  turn  Red  Dog  back  ?" 

"  I  will  go  with  you  wherever  you  say." 

Over  among  the  lodges  of  Thunder  Hawk's  people 
the  signs  of  intense  excitement  were  on  the  increase. 
Women  and  young  girls  had  taken  up  the  weird  war- 
song  of  the  advancing  array.  Young  men  springing 
to  their  ponies  and  no  longer  able  to  restrain  their 
desire  to  act  in  his  behalf,  all  forgetful  of  his  injunc 
tion,  came  galloping  forth  to  join  the  band  of  Red 
Dog  riding  to  the  rescue.  Over  at  the  agency,  far 
to  the  rear,  there  was  mad  flurry  and  consternation. 
Women  and  children  of  the  few  employes,  now  that 
there  was  a  military  post  within  range,  were  gathering 
up  such  valuables  as  they  could  carry  and  scurrying 
away  along  the  cantonment  road.  Conscious  of  his 
own  impotence,  McPhail  had  lost  the  last  vestige  of 
R  z  33 


386  UNDER  FIRE. 

his  truculent  manner  and,  eagerly  availing  himself  of 
Davies's  advice,  turned  nervously  to  the  senior  corporal 
of  the  little  squad  of  troopers  and  said,  "  Fall  back  ! 
We've  got  to  fall  back  to  the  reserve."  The  corporal 
glanced  first  at  him,  irresolutely,  then  back  at  the 
coming  reserve  now  spurring  forward  with  Lutz  at 
their  head,  then  around  at  the  whirl  and  turmoil  and 
trouble  in  the  villages,  at  Red  Dog's  now  u  magnifi 
cently  stern  array,"  and  finally  at  the  two  figures, 
calmly,  slowly  riding  straight  at  the  very  centre  of  the 
advancing  line,  straight  at  the  heart  of  Red  Dog's 
chanting  battalion  ;  and  then,  when  McPhail  nervously 
repeated  his  instructions,  and,  adding  example  to  pre 
cept,  turned  and  strove  to  lead  the  party  in  retreat, 
briefly  addressed  first  his  fellows  and  then  the  agent. 
"  Stand  fast,  men  !— You— go  to  hell !" 
A  moment  later  and  far  out  at  the  front  now  the  two 
figures  had  halted,  a  strange  contrast.  The  man  on  the 
right,  tall,  slender,  of  athletic  and  graceful  build,  clad 
in  trim  simple  undress  uniform  of  the  cavalry,  sit 
ting  his  horse  as  straight  as  a  young  pine ;  the  other, 
bent,  blanket-robed,  hunched  up  on  his  pony  in  the 
peculiarly  ungraceful  pose  of  the  Indian  rider  when 
at  rest,  but  resolute  and  immovable;  both  sublimely 
devoted  in  the  duty  now  before  them.  When  by  the 
sweeping  advance  of  the  Indian  line  these  two,  the 
young  officer,  the  old  sub-chief,  were  brought  nearly 
midway  between  the  little  party  of  blue-coats  and  the 
great  rank  of  red  warriors,  both  men  as  by  common 
impulse  threw  upward  the  right  hand,  signalling 
"  Stand  where  you  are  !"  to  the  coming  line. 

And  recognizing  their  challengers,  little  by  little, 


UNDER  FIRE.  387 

gradually  reining  in,  the  Indians  obeyed.  Only  Red 
Dog,  followed  closely  by  Elk,  sullenly,  angrily  con 
tinued  the  advance ;  his  fierce  eyes,  avoiding  Davies's 
calm  face,  were  bent  glowering  upon  his  fellow-tribes 
man. 

"Why  is  Thunder  Hawk  here?"  was  his  demand  in 
the  Ogallalla  tongue.  "  Is  he  ally  or  prisoner  of  the 
soldiers  ?" 

"  Thunder  Hawk  is  their  friend  and  the  friend  of 
his  people.  The  white  chief  came  as  his  friend  and 
brother  to  protect  him  from  indignity.  Now  as  friends 
and  brothers  we  stand  between  Red  Dog  and  the  wrong 
he  would  do.  Only  over  our  bodies  shall  Red  Dog  move 
another  lance-length  against  the  Great  Father's  people." 

Davies  could  not  comprehend  this  talk,  but  there 
was  no  mistaking  its  import  or  its  effect  on  the  rabid 
chief.  Furiously  Red  Dog  pressed  forward,  his  rifle 
still  clutched  in  his  sinewy  hand. 

"  Thunder  Hawk  is  a  traitor  and  a  liar !  He  has 
sold  himself  to  the  whites !  He  is  their  prisoner,  and 
when  they  have  used  him  they  will  iron  and  brand  and 
starve  him.  Even  a  sub-chief  of  the  Dakotas  shall 
not  live  to  be  their  tool.  Thunder  Hawk  rides  back 
with  us  at  once  or  dies  here  and  now."  And  around 
came  the  ready  weapon,  muzzle  to  the  front,  with  Red 
Dog's  hand  at  the  guard. 

"  Ride  back  to  your  men,  lieutenant,"  muttered  the 
old  Indian.  "  You  have  my  word  that  I  will  join  you 
as  soon  as  I  can,  but  this  man  is  crazed.  He  means  to 
force  a  fight." 

"  If  that  be  so  my  place  is  here  with  you,"  was  the 
answer.  "  What  does  he  demand  ?" 


388  UNDER  FIRE, 

"  No  parlying  with  your  soldier  friends/'  shouted 
Red  Dog,  again  in  the  Sioux  tongue.  Then,  as  though 
losing  all  control  of  himself  in  his  hatred  of  his  captor, 
he  dashed  furiously  at  Davies.  "  Back  !"  he  shouted. 
"  Back  !'*  And  he  pointed  with  grand  dramatic  action 
up  the  valley.  "  Back  to  your  own  people  !  This  is 
Indian  land."  Then  seeing  that  his  words  fell  on 
heedless  ears  and  that  Davies  never  relaxed  his  cool, 
steadfast  gaze  into  the  raging  red  face,  he  fell  into  such 
English  as  he  knew.  "  Run  or  I  kill." 

And  then  Lutz  and  his  reserve,  just  reaching  their 
comrades  under  Corporal  Clanton,  saw  a  sudden  flash 
of  sunshine  from  the  silver  mountings  of  the  Indian's 
beautiful  Winchester  as  it  was  whirled  to  the  brawny 
shoulder,  saw  sudden  rear  and  plunge  of  Davies' s 
spirited  horse,  a  grapple  as  though  in  mid-air,  and 
with  a  mad  cry  of  u  My  God  !  They'll  murder  him  !" 
young  trooper  Brannan  dashed  forward  from  the  ranks 
just  as  the  shot  from  Red  Dog's  rifle  whirled  harmless 
into  space,  and  horse  and  man,  the  pride  of  the  Ogal- 
lalla  hostiles,  were  rolling  in  the  dust,  overthrown  by  the 
officer's  heavier  charger,  while  the  butt  of  the  polished 
weapon,  wrested  from  the  warrior's  grasp  and  wielded 
by  muscular  hand,  came  down  with  resounding  whack 
on  the  head  of  the  struggling  chief,  and  for  the  second 
time,  in  the  very  face  of  his  astonished  braves,  Red 
Dog,  the  redoubtable,  went  sprawling  to  earth,  downed 
by  the  white  chief  whom  he  affected  to  despise. 

In  the  fierce  mellay  that  followed  the  advantage  lay 
with  the  first  to  move.  Lutz  and  his  party  had  not 
really  checked  their  gait,  and  so  leaped  into  the  charge 
with  a  flying  start.  Sixteen  ready  troopers  had  darted 


UNDER  FIRE.  389 

forward  to  the  support  of  their  beloved  young  officer. 
Thunder  Hawk  had  lashed  his  pony  so  as  to  interpose 
between  him  and  the  rush  of  the  Indian  band,  but  even 
as  those  red-skins  nearest  the  centre,  where  the  drums 
and  rattles  were  keeping  up  their  low,  threatening  din, 
with  one  impulse  dashed  forward  to  rescue  the  chief, 
those  on  the  flanks,  far-seeing,  held  wisely  back,  even 
while  around  the  prostrate  chief  there  raged  fora  brief, 
hot,  furious  moment  a  wild  babel  of  threat  and  exe 
cration,  a  mad  whirl  of  brandishing  knives  and  pistols 
and  naked  red  limbs  and  brawny  arms  in  dusty  blue, 
Hawk  and  two  other  stalwart  Sioux  had  thrown  them 
selves  between  avenging  blows  and  the  young  white 
chief,  standing  afoot  now  with  pale,  set  face,  over  his 
writhing  victim.  Lutz  and  his  men,  lunging  in  among 
the  lighter  ponies,  bore  them  back  by  sheer  force  of 
wreight.  'Only  one  or  two  shots  were  heard ;  even  in 
that  frantic  turmoil  friend  and  foe  alike  seemed  to  re 
alize  that  a  battle  must  be  avoided  so  long  as  each  side 
held  possession  of  its  own.  And  then  from  the  out 
skirts  came  loud  yells  of  warning.  By  fives  and  tens 
the  mounted  warriors  melted  hurriedly  away,  and  pres 
ently  all  the  broad  prairie  to  the  eastward,  back  toward 
the  lodges  from  which  they  came,  was  alive  with  cir 
cling,  darting,  screaming  red-skins,  keeping  up  their 
shrill  appeal  to  brethren  still  hot- handed  in  the  struggles 
for  out  from  behind  the  curtain  of  the  agency  corral 
swept  the  long  column  of  galloping  horse  under  its 
curtaining  cloud  of  dust,  and  down  at  full  speed  came 
the  whole  squadron^  far  more  than  Red  Dog's  band 
dare  tackle  in  heady  fight.  Out  from  beneath  his 
struggling  pony  they  dragged  him,  bleeding  and  be- 

33* 


390  UNDER  FIRE. 

daubed  with  sweat  and  paint  and  blood,  and  when 
presently  as  the  long  skirmish  line  of  Cranston's  troop 
swept  over  the  spot  and  drove  before  it  all  the  mounted 
warriors,  only  two  or  three  of  the  faithful  remained  to 
share  the  fortunes  of  their  fallen  chief,  for  like  Thunder 
Hawk,  Red  Dog  was  the  prisoner,  not  of  the  Great 
Father's  agent,  who  was  somewhere  far  to  the  rear, 
but  of  the  soldier  chief  of  the  cantonments,  who  came 
galloping  up  in  the  wake  of  the  cavalry,  wrathful,  if  any 
thing,  that  the  whole  thing  was  over  without  a  fight. 

And  then,  and  not  until  nearly  ten  minutes  after  he 
had  downed  his  man,  was  it  noticed  that  Mr.  Davies 
had  not  recovered  color,  that  he  was  too  faint  to  re 
mount  his  horse. 

"  What  is  it,  lad  ?"  murmured  Cranston,  with  keen 
anxiety  in  his  eyes. 

"  I'm  stabbed,  captain.  I — think  you'd  better  not 
let  Mrs.  Davies  know." 

But  Davies  need  not  have  worried  on  that  score. 
When  a  little  later  they  bore  him,  faint,  unconscious 
from  loss  of  blood,  to  his  own  roof  at  the  agency,  there 
was  lack  of  woman's  nursing,  there  was  dearth  of 
woman's  tears, — Mira  had  fled  with  the  McPhails  with 
the  first  alarm,  and  was  in  hiding  somewhere  up  at  the 
cantonment. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

ONE  soft  spring  morning,  some  two  weeks  later,  a 
little  knot  of  officers  had  gathered  about  the  Cranstons' 
quarters  at  the  cantonment.  Under  an  awning  of  tent 
flies  they  were  conning  the  papers  that  had  just  reached 


UNDER  FIRE.  391 

them  and  eagerly  discussing  their  contents.  Mrs. 
Cranston,  a  shade  of  anxiety  on  her  winsome,  sun 
burned  face,  was  glancing  quickly  from  one  speaker 
to  another.  Through  the  open  door-way  in  the  cool 
interior  Miss  Loomis  could  be  seen  bending  over  the 
boys  as  they  fidgeted  at  their  books.  Neither  felt  like 
studying  this  day  of  days,  for  absorbing  news,  and 
lots  of  it,  had  come.  To  begin  with,  a  general  court- 
martial  had  been  ordered  to  meet  at  Omaha  for  the 
trial  of  Captain  Devers,  Eleventh  Cavalry,  and  officers 
of  high  rank  and  distinction  were  to  be  his  judges. 
With  Atherton  as  president  of  the  court  there  could  be 
no  "  monkey  business/'  said  Mr.  Sanders,  by  which 
that  young  gentleman  was  understood  to  mean  that 
there  would  be  no  trifling  with  the  subject.  It  was 
noticeable  that  neither  Riggs  nor  Winthrop  was  of  the 
detail,  an  omission  readily  understood,  as  Devers  would 
unquestionably  object,  as  was  his  privilege,  to  either  or 
both  on  the  ground  of  bias,  prejudice,  or  malice,  which, 
whether  sustained  or  not,  would  lead  to  their  asking  to 
be  excused  from  serving  and  so  reducing  the  array. 
The  court  had  been  ordered  from  division  head-quar 
ters  by  the  lieutenant-general  himself,  and  its  mem 
bers,  as  a  rule,  were  summoned  from  distant  posts  and 
commands,  so  as  to  preclude  the  possibility  of  the 
accused  captain  saying  it  was  "  packed"  from  the  ranks 
of  his  enemies.  In  other  words,  except  Atherton,  the 
court  was  made  up  entirely  of  officers  who  had  taken 
no  part  in  the  campaign  of  the  previous  summer.  It 
was  understood  that  the  charges  were  grave  and  numer 
ous  ;  rumors  of  misconduct  in  the  face  of  the  enemy, 
disobedience  of  orders,  misrepresentation  of  facts,  etc., 


392  UNDER   FIRE. 

being  among  the  items  mentioned.  Major  Warren 
had  been  summoned  from  abroad  a  month  earlier 
than  he  had  planned  to  come.  Colonel  Peleg  Stone 
and  Mr.  Leonard  had  both  been  notified  that  they  would 
be  required  as  witnesses,  so  had  Captains  Cranston, 
Truman  and  Hay,  Lieutenants  Boynton,  Hastings  and 
Davies.  The  court  could  not  meet  before  mid-May 
because  several  of  the  members  came  from  the  depart 
ment  of  Dakota,  far  up  the  Missouri,  but  that  it  was 
to  be  a  "  clinch"  at  last  was  the  generally  expressed 
sentiment.  Devers  had  run  to  the  end  of  his  teiher, 
said  Boynton,  unfeelingly.  "  I  could  add  a  charge  or 
two  myself  if  I  didn't  know  he  was  loaded  with  them 
so  deep  that  he  can't  stagger."  Boynton,  limping 
still,  had  come  back  to  resume  command  of  the  agency 
guard,  for  Davies's  wound  had  proved  deep  and  seri 
ous.  He  had  been  stabbed  by  Red  Dog  after  that 
warrior  was  raised  to  his  feet,  after  Cranston's  skir 
mishers  had  swept  the  field,  after  Davies  thought  the 
struggle  at  an  end,  and  was  unprepared  for  the  stealthy 
blow.  Nothing  but  Brannan's  vigilance,  and  the  warn 
ing  cry  which  caused  the  lieutenant  to  turn  in  the  nick 
of  time,  had  saved  his  life.  Red  Dog  in  irons  lay  in 
the  log  guard-house.  Thunder  Hawk,  on  parole, — 
for  White  had  dared  the  wrath  of  the  bureau  and  re 
fused  to  let  McPhail  have  him, — walked  the  garrison 
at  will.  Mr.  Davies,  still  weak  and  languid,  lay  in 
the  big  hospital  tent,  really  the  most  comfortable  dwell 
ing  at  the  station,  now  that  the  weather  was  growing 
warm,  and  there,  attended  by  Burroughs  and  ministered 
to  by  a  pathetically  pretty  wife  (who  had  somewhat 
recovered  from  her  panic,  now  that  she  was  within  the 


rXDER  FIRE.  393 

stockade  of  a  military  post  with  lots  of  men  around  to 
watch  her  and  be  fascinated),  was  on  the  road  to  speedy 
convalescence.  He  was  being  allowed  occasional  vis 
itors,  and  while  his  own  comrades  vied  in  their  atten 
tions,  nothing  could  exceed  the  anxiety  of  old  White, 
the  major  commanding.  Twice  did  he  have  Thunder 
Hawk  recount  to  him  the  details  of  Davies's  calm  cour 
age  in  this  second  daring  capture,  red-handed,  of  the 
rebellious  chief,  and  White  went  to  Cranston  like  the 
blunt,  outspoken  campaigner  that  he  was. 

"  It  begins  to  look  to  me/'  said  he,  "  as  if  this  young 
fellow  had  been  most  damnably  backbitten.  You  can 
haul  Devers  before  a  court,  but  what  can  we  do  with 
these  women?" 

"  You  have  never  told  me,  major,  what  these 
women  had  to  say  against  him." 

"  And  I'm  not  going  to,"  said  White.  "  When  a 
man's  ashamed  of  having  believed  a  mean  story,  the 
sooner  he  buries  it  the  better.  Men  like  him  don't  go 
round  abusing  their  own  wife  or  insulting  anybody 
else's.  It's  my  belief  that  the  swarm  that  buzzes 
around  the  throne  there  at  Mrs.  Pegleg's  ought  to  be 
muzzled,  and  if  the  old  man  hadn't  lost  his  grip  in 
this  seizure  he's  had,  I'd  tell  him  so." 

But  this  seizure  of  Pegleg's  had  indeed  proved  a 
serious  matter.  So  far  from  recovering  his  accustomed 
spirits,  the  old  colonel  seemed  to  grow  feebler  and  less 
inclined  to  move  about  with  every  day.  One  morning 
he  sent  word  to  Captain  Devers  that  he  would  not 
leave  his  bed,  as  he  felt  too  weak,  and  that  night  it 
was  that  Leonard  got  back  from  Chicago.  When  told 
by  Pollock,  who  met  him  at  the  railway  station,  that 


394  UNDER  FIRE. 

Devers  was  again  in  command,  Leonard  stepped  into 
the  telegraph-office  and  wrote  a  message  which  he 
showed  to  nobody.  Within  thirty-six  hours  Lieu 
tenant  Archer  of  the  department  staff  reached  Fort 
Scott  with  orders  from  the  general  commanding.  Cap 
tain  Pollock  was  placed  in  command  of  the  post  and 
Devers  in  close  arrest.  The  next  day  Mr.  Langston 
came  out  from  Braska  and  was  closeted  an  hour  with 
Leonard  at  the  adjutant's  office,  and  then,  taking 
advantage  of  a  returning  escort  and  ambulance,  the 
civilian  lawyer  left  for  the  agency.  Even  while  the 
group  of  officers  at  Cranston's  was  eagerly  discussing 
the  news,  he  had  made  his  bow  to  a  deeply  blushing 
Mira  over  at  the  hospital  tent,  and  was  seated  by 
Davies's  side.  "Business  first,  pleasure  afterwards," 
hummed  Cranston  to  himself  when  he  heard  of  the 
arrival,  and  noted  how  Meg's  bright  eyes  dilated. 

"  Business,  indeed  !"  thought  she.  "  I  know  the 
business  that  brings  him  here,  despite  Agatha's  as 
sumption  of  sublime  indifference." 

But  grave  though  some  of  the  older  faces  grew  as 
the  news  was  read,  and  eager  and  excited  as  were  some 
of  the  younger,  it  was  not  because  of  the  long-prophe 
sied  trial  of  Captain  Devers.  The  papers,  letters,  and 
despatches  were  full  of  detail  of  the  serious  condition 
of  affairs  to  the  northwest.  Inspired  by  the  success 
of  the  Sioux  in  their  grand  uprising  of  the  previous 
year,  and  reasoning  that  they  had  little  to  lose  and 
everything  to  gain  by  similar  methods,  a  big  tribe  had 
cut  loose  from  its  reservation  and  taken  the  field,  one 
band  of  it  prudently  massacring  all  the  white  men  to 
be  found  in  their  neighborhood  as  necessary  preliminary 


UNDER  FIRE.  395 

to  the  move.  This  was  bad  to  begin  with,  but  worse 
was  to  follow.  The  other  agencies  were  overrun  by 
a  number  of  young  Indians  of  what  might  be  termed 
the  unreconstructed  class,  and  these,  excited  by  reports 
brought  in  by  runners  from  the  openly  hostile,  were 
slipping  off  in  scores  to  join  them.  Already  had  the 
epidemic  struck  McPhail's  "angels."  Already  had 
Mac,  with  long  face  and  longer  story,  been  up  to  see 
Major  White  and  beg  for  cavalry  to  be  sent  in  pursuit. 
White  said  it  was  preposterous.  The  renegades  had 
two  or  three  days'  start  to  begin  with,  and  if  pursued, 
all  they  had  to  do  was  to  hide  in  the  Bad  Lands  and 
pick  off  their  pursuers.  Cavalry  could  only  go  the>re 
in  single  file.  Ten  Indians  could  hold  the  narrow, 
tortuous  trail  against  ten  hundred  troops.  Relations 
were  strained  between  Mac  and  the  military  anyhow. 
Everybody  knew  by  this  time  that  he  had  lied  about 
Boynton  and  Davies,  and  had  striven  to  make  it  appear, 
and  with  no  little  success,  too,  so  far  as  Eastern  news 
papers  were  concerned,  that  all  the  turbulence  and 
rioting  at  Ogallalla  was  caused  by  the  arrogance  of 
the  army.  Then  Mac  pointed  out  that  if  something 
weren't  done  to  drive  those  renegades  back,  all  the 
young  braves  over  at  the  big  reservation  beyond  the 
Mini  Ska  would  follow  suit.  Already  the  cattlemen 
were  complaining.  Already  settlers  were  drifting  in  to 
Pawnee  station  and  Minden  on  the  railway  to  the  west, 
and  besieging  old  Tintop  at  regimental  head-quarters 
at  Fort  Ransom,  and  stirring  up  "  screamers"  in  the 
columns  of  the  infantile  dailies  at  Butte  and  Braska,  al 
leging  apathy  on  part  of  the  authorities  and  cowardice 
on  that  of  the  cavalry.  Already  letters  had  passed 


396  UNDER  FIRE. 

between  the  officers  of  the  Eleventh  at  the  cantonment 
and  their  comrades  at  Ransom.  "  If  we  have  to  take 
the  field  again  this  summer  let  us  try  to  get  together 
as  a  regiment  and  not  be  split  up  in  all  manner  of 
crowds/'  was  the  cry.  What  Cranston  and  Truman 
dreaded,  too,  was  that  they  might  be  squadroned  with 
some  of  the  — th  under  Major  Chrome.  The  — th 
was  all  right,  but  Chrome  was  so  horribly  slow  that 
his  own  comrades  chafed  under  his  command,  and 
Atherton  really  wanted  him  to  retire  and  get  "  a  live 
man"  in  his  place.  Truman,  Hay,  and  Cranston  felt 
certain  that  it  would  not  be  a  fortnight  before  they 
were  ordered  into  the  field.  Tintop  and  Gray  were 
sure  of  it.  Captain  Fenton  and  others  at  Rtmsom 
were  talking  of  sending  their  families  East,  and  now 
the  question  that  agitated  Cranston  was,  what  to  do 
with  his  dear  ones?  It  was  all  well  enough  to  have 
them  at  the  cantonment  while  the  cavalry  were  there, 
but  with  all  the  troops  in  the  field  except  a  single 
company  of  infantry,  he  did  not  dare  leave  them. 
They  must  go  back  to  Scott. 

No  wonder  then  that  Mrs.  Cranston's  bonny  face 
was  clouded  this  sweet  spring  morning.  No  wonder 
the  boys  could  not  pin  their  vagrant  thoughts  to  the 
books  before  them  while  snatches  of  the  low,  eager 
talk  came  drifting  in  through  the  open  door.  No 
wonder  Miss  Loomis  went  about  her  work  with  con 
scious  effort,  but  when  told  of  the  arrival  of  Robert 
Langston,  the  woman  in  her  knew  he  would  not  go 
until  he  had  seen  and  spoken  with  her. 

The  day  of  Red  Dog's  capture  was  still  fresh  in 
the  minds  of  Cranston's  household,  as  indeed  in  that 


UNDER  FIRE.  397 

of  every  household  at  the  cantonment.  With  field- 
glasses  they  had  marked  the  threatening  gathering  at 
the  distant  village,  and  the  ominous  advance  in  line. 
Old  White  had  his  men  in  ranks  in  less  than  no  time, 
and  the  cavalry  column,  masked  by  the  agency  build 
ings,  was  sent  at  brisk  trot  to  the  eastward,  so  that 
McPhail's  messenger,  spurring  at  mad  gallop  for  aid, 
met  them  midway.  Cranston's  troop  was  instantly 
deployed  into  long  skirmish  line  at  the  gallop,  and  the 
affair  was  practically  over  by  the  time  Major  White, 
leaving  the  infantry  battalion  to  guard  the  post,  had 
reached  the  scene.  Meantime  the  composure  of  the 
mothers  and  children  left  at  the  cantonment  was  in  no 
wise  augmented  by  the  panic-stricken  guise  of  the 
arriving  refugees,  Mrs.  McPhail,  with  her  children, 
and  Mira  being  the  first  to  appear.  It  so  happened 
that  the  Cranstons'  bungalow,  being  near  the  eastern 
end  of  the  line,  proved  the  natural  refuge  of  the  first 
wagon-load,  and  that  Mrs.  Cranston  and  Miss  Loomis 
were  the  angels  who  thus  had  to  minister  to  their 

O 

weaker  sisters.  Even  then,  when  nearly  "dead  with 
terror/'  as  she  expressed  it,  Mira  would  gladly  have 
gone  somewhere  else,  but  as  Mrs.  McPhail  promptly 
bundled  herself  and  her  youngsters  out  of  the  wagon 
and  under  the  shelter  of  the  Cranstons'  wing,  there 
was  nothing  left  for  Mira  but  to  follow  suit.  Dr. 
Burroughs  came  promptly  to  see  what  he  could  do  for 
her.  Both  Mrs.  Cranston  and  Miss  Loomis  mastered 
their  own  anxiety  in  the  effort  to  comfort  these  weak 
lings,  and  as  no  sounds  of  battle  came  from  the  east 
ward,  and  the  watchers  on  the  roofs  reported  Red  Dog's 
people  as  scattering  for  their  tepees  before  the  advance 

34 


398  UNDER  FIRE. 

of  the  cavalry,  comparative  composure  was  gradually 
being  restored  when  the  first  messenger  came  in  from 
the  front,  a  corporal  of  Cranston's  troop,  whom  the  boys 
hailed  with  eager  acclaim. 

"Everything's  all  right,  mum,"  he  blithely  saluted 
Mrs.  Cranston.  "  We've  got  old  Red  Dog  again, — 
Lieutenant  Davies  nabbed  him,"  he  added,  with  prompt 
recognition  of  Mira's  lovely  face.  "They  want  Dr. 
Burroughs  to  come  down  to  the  agency  though."  And 
as  the  doctor  mounted  the  trooper  said  something  more 
in  a  low  tone,  glancing  furtively  at  Mrs.  Davies  as  he 
did  so.  Burroughs  nodded,  but  rode  rapidly  away,  the 
corporal  after  him.  Mrs.  McPhail  became  instantly 
lachrymose.  Dr.  Burroughs  wanted  at  the  agency  ? 
That  could  mean  only  one  thing, — Mr.  McPhail  must 
be  wounded,  he  was  always  so  impetuous.  In  vain 
Mrs.  Cranston  strove  to  soothe  her.  She  ran  out  on 
the  roadway  in  front  and  hailed  the  very  next  party 
straggling  in, — the  wife  and  the  cook  of  the  agency 
clerk,  importuning  them  to  say  was  Mac  badly  hurt. 

"  Mac  ain't  hurt  at  all,"  said  the  new  arrivals,  hot 
after  a  long  and  needless  tramp.  "  How  was  he  to  get 
hurt?  It's  Loot'nant  Davies  that's  shot.  Red  Dog 
tried  to  kill  him." 

And  here  Mira  promptly  and  appropriately  shrieked 
and  fainted. 

Nor  was  she  of  use  when  presently  restored  to  a 
limp  and  dejected  consciousness.  Other  messengers 
had  come  by  this  time.  Dr.  Burroughs  had  examined 
Mr.  Davies's  hurts.  He  was  stabbed,  nots  hot.  It  was 
serious,  not  dangerous.  He  was  being  made  comfort 
able  at  home,  where  Captain  Cranston  said  it  was  per- 


UNDER  FIRE.  399 

fectly  safe  for  Mrs.  Davies  to  join  him,  and  the  am 
bulance  was  speedily  ready  to  take  her  to  the  bedside 
of  her  wounded  hero,  but  again  poor  Mira's  nerves 
gave  way.  She  could  not  go  to  that  dreadful  place,  so 
much  nearer  those  frightful  savages.  Oh,  why,  why 
hadn't  they  brought  her  Percy  here?  Even  Mrs. 
McPhail  was  no  such  coward  as  that.  She  drove  back 
without  her,  and  not  for  hours  after  was  Mira  strong 
enough  to  go.  By  that  time  he  was  sleeping  placidly 
when,  trembling  still  and  pathetically  pale,  Mira  was 
escorted  to  his  bedside,  and  that  night  Mrs.  Cranston 
had  her  revenge. 

"Agatha  Loomis,"  said  she,  "you  declared  all 
along  that  he  did  perfectly  right  in  marrying  that — 
that — in  marrying  her.  What  do  you  say  now  ?" 

And  Miss  Loomis  said — nothing. 

They  had  been  talking  of  Davies  again  this  very 
morning  before  the  mails  and  Langston  came.  No 
sooner  had  he  been  well  enough  to  move  than  he  asked 
to  be  sent  up  to  the  garrison.  He  was  no  longer  com 
mander  of  the  guard,  and  no  longer  entitled  to  the 
house.  What  was  more,  he  must  decline  to  serve 
McPhail  in  any  such  capacity  again,  and  had  had  a 
letter  written  to  department  head-quarters  representing 
the  facts,  and  one  was  received  from  the  general  prom 
ising  that  another  officer  should  be  detailed  immedi 
ately.  Furthermore,  Mr.  Davies  announced  that  Mrs. 
Davies  simply  could  not  stand  the  life  at  that  point. 
Then  Boynton  expressed  a  desire  to  return  to  it,  as  he 
was  now  able  to  stump  around  a  little,  and  he  enjoyed 
chaffing  McPhail,  and  so  the  wounded  second  lieu 
tenant  of  Devers's  troop  was  shifted  to  the  hospital  tent 


400  UNDER   FIRE. 

put  up  for  liis  accommodation  at  the  cantonment,  and 
there  Mira  was  made  far  more  comfortable  than  many 
an  army  wife  had  been,  awaiting  the  day  when  they 
conld  with  safety  be  started  on  the  road  to  Scott,  now 
his  proper  station. 

"  Langston's  paying  the  Parson  a  mighty  long  visit," 
exclaimed  Mr.  Sanders,  unslinging  his  sabre  and 
flopping  down  into  the  first  camp-chair  on  his  way 
back  from  morning  drill.  "  Mrs.  Cranston,  what  do 
you  want  to  bet  y'all  go  back  to  Scott  inside  of  a 
week  ?" 

"  I  like  it  very  much  better  here,  especially  as  our 
going  to  Scott  would  mean  'y'all'  were  to  be  again  in 
the  field,"  was  the  laughing  reply. 

"Well,  I  like  duty  here  better,  but  I  do  hanker  for 
a  waltz  on  that  old  waxed  floor.  Think,  we  haven't 
had  a  dance  since  we  came." 

"  The  men  had  some  good  music  the  other  evening ; 
why  didn't  you  suggest  a  waltz  on  the  prairie  to  Mrs. 
Davies  ?" 

"  Well,  I  did  think  of  it.  She  looks  bored  to  death. 
I  saw  her  just  now  as  I  came  by.  She  was  yawning 
in  the  shade  of  the  tent  fly  while  Langston  and  the 
Parson  were  chatting  inside."  Why  don't  you  and 
Miss  Loom  is  go  over  there  and  cheer  her  up  some 
times?  was  the  question  he  checked  just  as  it  trembled 
on  his  lips.  Som  brief  inspiration  of  discretion 
warned  him  that  that  was  ground  too  sacred  for  his 
blundering  intrusion.  "She  seems  downright  lonely," 
he  concluded,  somewhat  lamely  and  suggestively.  "  I 
don't  think  Mrs.  Davies  is  cut  out  for  this  kind  of  army 
life.  Here  comes  Lansston  now." 


USDER   FIRE.  401 

He  needn't  have  made  that  announcement.  Mrs. 
Cranston  was  watching,  waiting  for  him,  and  she 
glanced  quickly  to  see  where  Miss  Loomis  was.  That 
young  lady,  however,  never  looked  up  from  the  slate 
whereon  Louis's  hieroglyphics  were  in  mad  arithmeti 
cal  tangle,  even  when  she  heard  Langston's  courteous 
greeting  to  the  lady  of  the  house  and  his  inquiries  for 
the  captain,  and  heard  them  without  evidence  of  any 
emotion  whatsoever. 

"  The  captain  is  at  the  stables,  Mr.  Langston.  We 
are  so  glad  to  see  you.  I'll  send  him  word  in  a  mo 
ment.  Do  sit  down  and  tell  us  all  the  news  from 
Braska,"  said  Mrs.  Cranston,  hospitably. 

"  I  will  do  all  that  most  gladly,  Mrs.  Cranston,  but 
the  matter  on  which  I  desire  to  see  him  at  once  is 
urgent,  and  perhaps  Mr.  Sanders  will  walk  over  to  the 
stables  with  me.  Then,  may  I  not  call  and  see  you 
later?" 

"By  all  means  !  and  will  you  not  dine  with  us?  A 
real  campaign  dinner,  you  know,  but  we  shall  be  so 
pleased  to  have  you." 

Langston's  face  fairly  glowed.  "  I'll  be  here  in 
half  an  hour,  if  I  may,  but  I  must  see  the  captain 
at  once,  and  will  go.  I  trust — Miss  Loomis — is  well." 

"  Very  well,  and  quite  able  to  answer  for  herself," 
said  Mrs.  Cranston,  mischievously,  while  Langston's 
eyes  eagerly  searched  the  door- way  and  dim  interior ; 
but  Miss  Loomis  was  nowhere  in  sight,  and  chose  to 
appear  to  be  not  within  hearing. 

"  Why  didn't  you  come  or  speak?"  said  Meg,  re 
proachfully,  the  moment  he  was  gone. 

"  I  was  busy.     These  are  school  days,"  was  the  calm 

aa  34* 


402  UNDER   FIRE. 

reply,  one  that  would  have  been  no  comfort  to  Langs- 
ton,  who  walked  rather  ruefully  on  with  the  subaltern. 
The  business  with  Cranston  proved  interesting. 

"  You  have  a  young  trooper,  Brannan,  whom  I  need  to 
see  confidentially,  and  at  once.  May  I  do  so,  captain  ?" 

"  Certainly.  Send  Corporal  Brannan  here,"  said  the 
troop  commander,  wondering  what  new  complication 
had  involved  this  wayward  son ;  and  presently,  erect 
and  soldierly,  with  a  fine  tan  on  his  cheek  and  brand- 
new  chevrons  on  his  sleeves,  "lanced  for  bravery  in 
the  field,"  as  the  troopers  expressed  it  in  those  days,  the 
young  soldier  stood  attention  before  them. 

"  You  probably  do  not  remember  me,  Corporal 
Brannan,"  said  Langston,  in  courteous  tone,  a  but  I 
remember  you  favorably  and  well  for  the  day  at  Bluff 
Siding  last  June."  And  the  light  in  the  young  sol 
dier's  eyes  indicated  that  he  recalled  the  civilian.  "  Your 
captain  knows  something  of  the  matter  on  which  I 
wish  to  see  you,  and  I  have  asked  him  to  remain  here 
with  us."  And  now  an  anxious,  troubled  look  crept 
over  Brannan's  face,  some  swift  overshadowing  from 
the  coming  cloud.  "  You  have  never  yet  told  any  one 
whose  knife  it  was  that  cut  you  that  day." 

Brannan's  lips  moved  and  he  turned  even  paler,  but 
he  said  no  word. 

"  Well,  corporal,  the  time  seems  to  have  come  when 
instead  of  keeping  silence  to  protect  another  man  you 
may  have  to  speak  for  your  own  sake." 

Branuan  glanced  quickly,  anxiously,  from  one  face 
to  another,  from  the  lawyer  to  his  troop  commander,  as 
though  appealing  to  the  latter  to  say  how  could  that 
be.  Presently  he  faltered,  "  I  don't  understand." 


UNDER  FIRE.  403 

"  Well,  I  will  toll  you,  in  part  at  least.  Your  captain 
and  I  know  something  of  your  past  history,  and  I  do 
not  think  you  will  have  cause  to  regret  that  fact.  We 
know  that  you  were  at  Dr.  Powlett's  at  the  time  Mr. 
Davies  was  assaulted  and  robbed  near  his  Urbana 
home.  You  had  there  been  on  terms  of  intimacy  with 
young  Powlett,  who  disappeared  after  much  disreputa 
ble  doing.  You  soon  enlisted,  and  were  for  a  time  very 
intimate  with  a  recruit,  Howard,  who  corresponded 
with  the  description  I  have  of  Powlett.  You  both  had 
frequent  letters, — you  from  your  mother  and  he  from 
several  sources.  Then  came  a  disagreement  and  you 
held  yourself  apart  from  him  and  his  new  chum,  a 
young  fellow  called  Paine,  and,  while  you  continued 
loyal  to  an  old  friendship  and  kept  silent  as  to  How 
ard's  past,  he  was  less  considerate  of  you.  There  was 
serious  trouble  between  yourself  and  Sergeant  Haney 
and  Howard  the  night  you  reached  Fort  Scott  after  the 
campaign,  and  you  were  ordered  confined.  I  have 
heard  there  at  Scott  a  story  I  do  not  believe.  Will 
you  not  tell  your  captain  and  me  the  real  cause?'7 

"  Well,  sir,  it  was  about  my  writing-case,"  said  the 
corporal,  in  low  and  hesitant  voice.  "  I  kept  mother's 
letters  and  some  pictures  and  things  I  valued  in  it.  It 
went  with  me  up  to  the  Big  Horn  camp  all  right,  but 
when  we  started  on  the  campaign  and  cut  loose  from 
the  wagons  I  had  to  turn  it  over  to  Sergeant  Haney. 
I  saw  him  lock  it  in  the  big  company  chest,  and  the 
night  we  got  into  Scott  with  the  wagons  and  that  chest 
was  unloaded,  over  three  months  afterwards,  I  asked 
for  it  at  once,  and  I  had  been  kept  back  with  the 
wagons,  and  I'd  been  drinking  a  little,  for  it  was  a  bit- 


404  UNDER  FIRE. 

ter  cold  march,  and  Hauey  and  Howard  gave  me  more 
liquor  and  told  me  I'd  better  not  take  it  until  I'd  quit 
drinking.  We  had  trouble  that  night  later,  and  I  was 
confined  for  abusing  the  sergeant  and  being  drunk, 
though  I  could  prove  I  hadn't  abused  him,  and  that 
it  was  just  the  other  way,  and  that  I  was  only  slightly 
affected  by  the  liquor.  The  next  day  I  sent  word 
from  the  guard-house  for  my  case,  and  the  reply  came 
that  the  sergeant  gave  it  to  me  the  previous  night.  I 
knew  he  hadn't  and  said  so.  They  answered  that  I 
was  drunk  and  must  have  lost  it,  and  that  was  all  the 
satisfaction  I  got." 

"  Why  didn't  you  tell  me  about  this  at  the  time, 
Brannan  ?"  asked  Cranston,  kindly. 

"  I  meant  to,  sir,  the  moment  I  got  out,  but  they 
fixed  things  so  as  to  send  me  direct  from  the  guard 
house  with  Lieutenant  Boynton's  detachment  to  the 
agency,  and  when  I  wrote  from  there  to  Howard  and 
Haney  both,  they  answered  that  they  had  a  clue,  and 
if  I'd  only  keep  quiet  they'd  get  it  sure,  and  the  man 
who  stole  it  from  me.  I  never  told  mother  about  it, — 
it  shamed  me  so.  I  was  afraid  the  liquor  was  drugged, 
and — it  might  be  true,  though  I  thought  I  knew 
everything  that  happened."  Then  he  stopped  ab 
ruptly. 

"  Go  on,"  said  Langston,  with  deep  interest  in  his 
keen,  shrewd  face.  "  There  is  even  more  to  this  than 
I  thought.  What  followed  ?" 

"  I  got  tired  waiting,  and  there  was  a  chance  to  go  to 
Scott  with  the  mail  rider  and  I  took  it,  and  a  bitter 
cold  ride  it  proved  to  be.  We  couldn't  get  coffee  on 
the  way,  the  rider  and  I,  but  we  could  get  whiskey, 


UNDER  FIRE,  405 

worse  luck,  for  he  had  it  with  him,  and  so  I  had  been 
drinking  when  we  reached  the  post,  and  made  my  de 
mand  of  Haney.  He  put  me  off  with  more  liquor  and 
soft  words.  Then  I  threatened  to  appeal  to  Captain 
Cranston  or  Lieutenant  Davies,  and  the  next  thing 
they  hacf  me  in  hospital  with  Paine  to  watch  me.  I 
had  been  drinking  enough  to  make  me  mad  with  suf 
fering  for  more  by  that  time." 

"  Well,  did  you  never  appeal  to  Captain  Devers  ?" 

"  No,  sir ;  there  was  no  use  in  doing  that,"  said 
Brannan,  coloring  uneasily  as  he  spoke.  "  I  beg  Cap 
tain  Cranston's  pardon  for  saying  so  of  an  officer,  but 
no  one  could  hope  for  justice  in  'A'  Troop  unless  he 
was  solid  with  Sergeant  Haney." 

"  And  you  have  never  seen  your  writing-case  to  this 
day?"  continued  Langston. 

"Never,  sir." 

"Well,  one  thing  more.  Now  that  yon  know 
Howard's  character, — know  him  to  have  deserted  and 
to  have  striven  to  injure  you  in  many  a  way,  will  you 
still  persist  in  saying  he  did  not  wield  the  knife  that 
slashed  you  ?" 

"  I  have  said,  sir,  that  I  knew  no  one  in  all  the  re 
cruits  who  would  have  used  a  knife  on  me." 

"  True  !  You  put  it  well,  Brannan,"  said  Langston, 
with  a  smile  of  deep  meaning,  "  and  among  simple- 
minded  military  folk  the  answer  would  be  enough, 
perhaps,  but  not  to  a  lawyer.  Would  you  declare 
that  Howard  did  not  wield  the  knife  that  slashed  you — 
but  was  meant  for  Lieutenant  Davies  ?" 

And  Brannan  colored  still  deeper.  "  I  cannot  say 
anything  about  him,  sir ;  at  least  not  now." 


406  UNDER  FIRE. 

"Very  well.  Then  it  is  useless  to  ask  just  now 
what  you  know  of  his  past  ?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  All  right,  Brannan.  It  is  my  belief  that  in  the 
near  future  that  writing-case  of  yours  will  turn  up, 
and  I  mean  to  stay  to  see  it,  for  when  it  does  you'll 
need  us  both." 

But  Langston's  hope  for  a  speedy  and  brilliant  coup 
was  dashed  by  the  news  that  came  that  very  night. 
Forty -eight  hours  thereafter  a  little  caravan  of  army 
wagons,  Concords  and  ambulances,  with  an  infantry 
escort,  was  slowly  wending  its  way  southward  toward 
the  welcoming  roofs  of  old  Fort  Scott,  with  the  wives 
and  children  of  several  families,  with  Mira  and  her 
newest  friend,  Mrs.  Plodder,  with  the  tall,  martial- 
looking  civilian  riding  in  close  attendance  on  the  Crans 
ton's  equipage,  basking  in  the  life-giving  sunshine  and 
in  the  thrill  and  hope  and  sweet  unrest  of  an  ever 
growing  love,  devoted  and  insistent  in  spite  of  vague 
and  jealous  dread,  for  there  was  not  the  feeblest  flicker 
of  encouragement  in  Miss  Loomis's  calm  and  oft- 
averted  eyes.  Langston  asked  himself  in  the  still 
hours  of  the  starlit  night,  camping  on  the  banks  of 
Dismal  River,  was  it  possible  that  her  heart  was  fol 
lowing  some  soldier  in  the  dusty  column,  riding  hard, 
riding  fast  long  miles  away  to  the  northwest  now, 
eager  to  overtake  the  comrade  soldiery  already  on  the 
flank  of  the  foe,  and  bear  a  trooper's  part  in  the  battle 
summer  so  suddenly  to  open.  Even  Percy  Davies, 
laughing  at  the  feeble  protest  of  Dr.  Burroughs,  and 
heartily  congratulated  by  old  White  himself,  had 
donned  his  field  dress  and  climbed  stiffly  into  saddle, 


I'XDER   FIRE.  407 

to  ride  once  more  with  the  fighting  column,  to  the 
savage  disappointment  of  his  one  red  foe  at  the  canton 
ments,  and  the  utter  confusion  of  other  foes  at  Scott. 


CHAPTER    XXIX. 

A  HUNDRED  miles  away, — a  hundred  as  the  crow 
flies,  and  not  by  the  tortuous  route  the  cavalry  had  to 
follow,  through  a  region  that,  all  in  an  hour's  march, 
shifted  its  scene  from  the  dull  monotone  of  barren 
waves  of  prairie  to  bold,  beautiful  heights  and  deep 
sheltered  ravines  and  canons,  the  winding  thread  of  the 
Mina  Ska  went  foaming  and  leaping  over  its  stony  bed, 
taking  occasional  cat-naps  in  wide,  shadowy  shallows, 
only  to  wake  up  again  to  wilder  riot  under  the  frown 
ing,  fir-crested  cliffs  of  the  Black  Rock  Range.  For 
many  a  long,  sunshiny  mile  it  had  come  floating  placidly 
eastward,  issuing  from  the  great  water-shed  of  the  con 
tinent,  drifting  leisurely  between  low-lying,  grassy 
banks  all  criss-crossed  with  ancient  buffalo-trails,  or 
the  recent  footprints  of  long-horned  cattle,  past  the 
broad  plateau,  crowded  by  the  wooden  walls  of  Fort 
Ransom,  past  the  roofs  and  spires  of  bustling  Butte, 
a  prairie  metropolis,  a  railway  and  cattle  town  that 
rivalled  Braska,  past  long  miles  of  gleaming  tangents 
of  the  transcontinental  railway  until  it  met  the  bold 
bluffs  east  of  Alkali  Station  and  was  shouldered  from 
its  course  and  sent  on  long,  tortuous  detour  to  the 
northeast,  until,  beyond  the  great  reservation  of  the 


408  UNDER  FIRE. 

red  men  in  the  loveliest  hill  country  of  the  wild  fron 
tier,  it  once  more  turned  sharply  eastward  at  the  point 
described  in  the  sonorous  language  of  the  plains  as 
"  the  Big  Bend  of  the  Mina  Ska."  Midway  between 
its  sweeping  curve  near  Alkali  and  the  sharp  deflection 
at  the  big  bend  there  came  flowing  into  it  from  the 
westward,  through  the  very  heart  of  the  Dakota  lands, 
the  clear,  translucent  waters  of  the  Wakpa  Wakon, — 
the  Spirit  River  of  the  Sioux,  all  along  whose  storied 
shores  for  months  had  clustered  the  thronging  villages 
of  the  tribe,  living  through  the  long,  tierce  winter  in 
sheltered  comfort,  fed,  warmed,  inspired  by  the  spoils 
and  stories  of  the  great  campaign  the  year  gone  by. 
But  now  as  though  by  magic  had  the  tepees  vanished. 
Only  around  the  protecting  agency,  miles  to  the  west, 
miles  deeper  in  among  the  tumbling  hills,  were  the 
lodges  now  clustered,  hundreds  of  them,  with  their 
swarming  occupants, — old  men,  old  crones,  Indian 
mothers,  wives,  sweethearts,  maids,  young  boys,  chil 
dren,  and  pappooses, — all  confidingly  clinging  to  the 
protecting  hand  of  the  Great  Father  and  claiming  his 
bounty ;  while  the  husbands  and  fathers,  the  stalwart 
young  warriors  of  the  Sioux  themselves,  were  skulking 
through  the  Bad  Lands  across  the  Ska,  eagerly,  warily 
watching  the  coming  of  the  little  cavalry  column  from 
the  distant  Chasing  Water,  while  even  in  greater  num 
bers  their  wild  red  cohorts  patrolled  the  deep  valley, 
the  overhanging  heights  of  the  Ska  itself,  watching 
every  move  of  the  coming  force  from  Ransom,  bent  on 
luring  both,  if  possible,  far  within  their  borders,  far  in 
among  those  tangling,  treacherous  ravines  and  canons, 
and,  there  surrounding,  to  massacre  the  last  man. 


UNDER  FIRE.  409 

Southwest  ward,  at  Painted  Lodge  Butte,  after  a  long, 
long  march  through  the  heat  and  glare  of  the  long  June 
day,  Colonel  Winthrop  had  ordered  his  men  to  bivouac 
for  the  night.  Riding  steadily  eastward  by  the  "  foot 
hill"  trail  from  Ransom,  they  had  reached  Willow 
Springs  on  Friday  noon,  purposing  to  camp  there  until 
the  following  dawn,  but  so  alarming  were  the  reports 
of  the  few  fleeing  settlers  whom  they  met  that  the  old 
colonel  decided  after  an  hour's  rest  to  push  on  again. 
Without  being  trammelled  by  precise  orders,  the  general 
tenor  of  his  instructions  was  to  march  on  down  the 
Ska,  and  strike  and  punish  any  Indian  war-parties  he 
could  find,  and  clear  the  valley  as  soon  as  possible. 
Major  Chrome,  with  four  troops,  two  of  the  Eleventh, 
his  own,  and  two  of  the  — th,  Atherton's  regiment, 
was  ordered  to  march  across  country  from  the  Chasing 
Water,  and  join  Winthrop  in  the  valley  of  the  Ska.  One 
hundred  miles,  as  has  been  said,  had  Chrome  to  march 
to  reach  the  valley  at  the  nearest  point,  nearly  opposite 
the  month  of  the  Spirit  River.  Nearly  two  hundred 
if  he  followed  the  stream  would  Tintop  have  to  cover 
in  going  from  Fort  Ransom  to  that  point,  but  he  had 
started  on  a  Wednesday  morning,  twenty-four  hours 
ahead  of  Chrome.  Each  well  knew  he  would  proba 
bly  have  to  fight  his  way.  Each  meant,  according  to 
his  own  lights,  to  do  his  best,  and  each  resorted  to 
measures  radically  different.  Winthrop,  active,  eager, 
nervous  in  temperament,  pushed  forward  boldly,  rap 
idly,  bent  on  "  getting  there,"  as  he  expressed  it,  and 
hitting  hard  before  the  reds  could  slip  back  to  their 
holes.  Chrome,  slow,  phlegmatic,  cautious,  advanced 
by  carefully-studied  marches,  with  scouts  far  ahead  and 

a  85 


410  UNDER   FIRE. 

flankers  far  dispersed.  Arguing  that  Winthrop,  with 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  or  more  to  go,  and  a  big 
ger  crowd  to  handle,  and  with  Indians  on  his  flank 
every  inch  of  the  way,  would  not  be  able  to  reach  the 
Spirit  River  crossing  inside  of  seven  days, — Chrome 
parcelled  out  his  own  march  accordingly.  Starting 
with  all  speed  from  the  cantonment,  according  to  his 
instructions  from  Major  White,  he  soon  slowed  down 
to  a  pace  more  in  accordance  with  his  own  views.  "  If 
we  get  there  Monday  or  Tuesday  even,"  said  he,  "  we'll 
be  'way  ahead  of  Tintop."  And  this  was  at  the  close 
of  the  second  day's  march,  when  he  could  point  to 
less  than  a  total  of  forty-four  miles  covered.  The 
country  was  still  open,  the  trails  distinct,  the  Indians 
reported  in  the  distance  were  in  small  parties,  proba 
bly  from  the  Ogallalla  reservation.  To  Cranston  and 
Truman,  as  well  as  to  the  captains  of  the  — th,  there 
seemed  every  reason  to  push  ahead.  It  was  urged 
among  them  that,  at  last,  Truman  should  speak,  and 
Truman  did,  as  the  captains  of  the  — th  positively 
declined.  "  We  have  known  Colonel  Winthrop  well, 
sir/'  said  Truman,  "  and  we  believe  he  will  make  long 
marches,  perhaps  forced  marches,  to  throw  himself  be 
tween  the  raiders  and  the  reservation.  Just  as  soon  as 
a  big  force  gets  there,  they  will  scatter  for  the  far  north 
and  northwest.  The  only  chance  of  punishing  them  is 
to  get  there  at  once  while  there  is  still  something  left 
for  them  to  kill  or  burn, — something  to  tempt  them.  I 
fear,  major,  that  unless  we  make  better  time  we'll  be 
too  late  for  the  ball." 

Chrome  listened  placidly  and  without  impatience  of 
any  kind.      Yes,  he  admitted,  that  was  what  White 


UNDER  FIRE.  411 

himself  said.  White  was  fuming  with  wrath  because 
he  wasn't  given  command  of  a  field  column  instead  of 
being  sent  west  to  cover  the  Pawnee  Station  road. 
"Small  blame  to  him  !"  muttered  Cranston.  "Why 
on  earth  couldn't  this  tortoise  have  been  left  to  that 
work  and  old  Whitey  given  to  us?"  No!  Major 
Chrome  meant  to  advance  with  caution  and  delibera 
tion.  If  the  Indians  saw  them  coming  precipitately, 
they  might  be  equally  precipitate  in  their  flight,  and 
thereby  defeat  the  general's  plans  of  having  Tintop 
get  in  their  rear,  at  which  characteristic  opinion  Cap 
tain  Canker,  of  the  — th,  a  man  of  many  moods,  but 
a  fighter,  turned  gloomily  away,  and  was  heard  soon 
afterwards  swearing  viciously.  It  was  the  old  story 
of  the  army  of  lions  with  a  sheep  at  their  head. 

And  then  came  a  calm,  cloudless,  radiant  June 
Sunday,  a  day  as  perfect  and  serene  aloft  as  was  that 
June  Sunday  of  the  year  gone  by  on  whose  high  noon 
there  rose  the  mad  clamor  of  the  battle  on  the  Little 
Horn,  whose  pitiless  sun  looked  fiercely  down  upon 
the  slaughtered  ranks  of  Custer  and  his  gallant 
Seventh,  and  just  as  the  red  went  out  of  the  western 
sky,  and  the  sharp,  jagged  line  of  the  Warrior  Buttes 
melted  into  softer  purple,  there  came  galloping  in 
from  the  distant  outpost  an  excited  trooper,  who  gave 
a  paper  to  Major  Chrome.  The  officers  were  seated 
about  him  at  a  tiny  fire,  and  Cranston  quickly  lighted 
a  candle  lantern  and  the  major  read.  It  was  from  the 
officer  of  the  picket. 

"Thunder  Hawk  and  Rides  Double  just  in  from 
over  toward  the  Ska.  They  say  they  have  seen  '  plenty 
warriors'  all  day  and  are  sure  there  has  been  a  big  fight 


412  UNDER  FIRE. 

far  across  the  valley.  We  could  plainly  see  Indian 
signal-smokes  an  hour  ago,  and  Hawk  says  a  heavy 
dust-cloud  rose  between  him  and  the  sunset."  It  was 
signed  "  Davies." 

"  Now,  there,  gentlemen  !"  said  Chrome,  "  if  we  had 
pushed  ahead  any  faster  Davies  couldn't  have  kept  up 
with  us,  and  this  evening  he's  commanding  the  ad 
vance.  If  we  had  hurried,  those  Indians  would  have 
hurried  too  and  got  clear  away  before  Tintop  could 
have  got  behind  them  and  struck  them  as  he  has.  See 
how  well  it  worked?"  And  Chrome  glanced  con 
tentedly  about  him. 

"  That's  all  well  enough,  sir,  so  far  as  it  goes," 
growled  Captain  Canker,  "  but  where  do  we  come  in 
on  this  campaign  ?  What  will  be  said  of  our  failure 
to  get  into  the  fight?" 

"  What  a  growler  you  are,  Canker  !  Why,  man,  in 
matters  of  this  kind  individual  ambition  must  give 
place  to  concerted  plans.  It's  the  team  work,  the 
combinations  that  tell."  And  here  the  silent  circle  be 
came  engrossed  in  pipes  or  in  whittling,  or  in  the  con 
templation  of  the  very  ground  at  their  feet,  though 
from  tinder  the  broad  brims  of  their  scouting  hats 
veteran  campaigners  exchanged  meaning  glances.  Can 
ker  only  growled  the  more  sulkily. 

"  What  I'm  afraid  of,  Major  Chrome,  is  that  Colonel 
Winthrop  may  have  wanted  us  this  very  day,  and 
forty  miles  wouldn't  have  reached  him." 

"  My  heaven  !"  said  Cranston,  later  that  night,  toss 
ing  upward  his  clinched  fists  and  nervous  straining 
arms,  "I  feel  like  a  man  in  a  nightmare.  One  long 
winter  of  incessant  friction  and  undecided  clashings 


UNDER  FIRE.  413 

with  Devers,  and  now  this  mad  eagerness  to  be  doing 
something  choked  and  smothered  by  this  incubus  at 
our  head.  If  to-morrow  brings  no  relief  I  want  to 
quit  for  good  and  all." 

But  the  long  weeks  of  indecisive  warfare,  in  camp 
as  in  the  field,  were  destined  to  have  their  climax  at 
last.  Well  for  the  little  battalion,  perhaps,  was  it, 
after  all,  that  officers  and  men  alike  were  boiling  over 
with  repressed,  pent-up  fury  for  action,  for  when  the 
morrow  came  it  called  each  soldier  into  line,  and  gave 
him  giant  work  to  do. 

Somewhere  towards  one  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
under  the  glitter  and  sheen  of  the  myriad  stars  over 
head,  while,  all  but  the  guard,  the  troopers  slept  peace 
fully  upon  the  prairie  turf  and,  all  but  a  few  early 
risers,  their  chargers,  too,  were  drowsing  undisturbed 
by  the  occasional  querulous  yelp  of  the  coyote, — some 
where,  far  out  over  the  dim,  shadowy  slopes  to  the 
westward,  there  rose  upon  the  night  the  faint  sound  of 
a  trumpet  call,  seemingly  miles  away.  In  his  ex 
treme  caution  Chrome  had  posted  little  parties  full  a 
mile  out  from  the  bivouac,  north,  east,  and  west,  and 
it  was  while  slowly  riding  to  the  westernmost  of  these 
that  the  officer  of  the  guard  first  thought  he  heard  the 
sound.  A  corporal  of  Cranston's  troop  was  at  his 
heels.  "  Yes,  sir,"  he  said,  in  answer  to  the  low,  eager 
question,  as  the  two  reined  in  their  horses,  "  I  could 
almost  swear  I  heard  it.  I  couldn't  make  out  the 
signal  though — could  only  hear  a  note  or  two."  They 
found  the  picket  alert,  even  excited.  They,  too,  had 
heard  something  very  like  a  faint  trumpet  call  very  far 
to  the  west,  and  Davies  waited  no  longer. 

35* 


414  UNDER  FIRE. 

"You  remain  here,  corporal.  I'll  call  the  captain." 
And  in  a  few  moments  he  was  bending  over  Cranston. 
The  latter  was  awake  in  a  minute,  and  together  they 
hastened  out  afoot,  past  snoring  troopers  or  snorting 
steeds,  and  stood  some  hundred  yards  outside  the  inner 
sentry  line. 

"Hay  left  Scott  with  <A'  and  CT  troops  Wednes 
day,  as  we  know,"  said  Cranston,  "  but  it's  impossible 
he  could  have  caught  us  yet,  though  he  took  the  cut 
off.  That  night  trumpeting's  a  trick  of  the  — th. 
They  tried  it  twice  last  summer." 

"  I  know,  sir,  and  may  not  that  be  some  of  them 
trying  to  find  us  ?" 

"Well,  hardly.  You  know  Atherton  only  had  one 
troop  left  at  Russell,  the  other  five  were  sent  up 
toward  the  Big  Horn  ten  days  ago.  Listen  !  There 
it  goes  again  !" 

Yes,  unmistakably,  faint,  far,  but  clear,  the  notes  of 
a  cavalry  trumpet  could  be  heard,  and,  while  Davies 
hurried  to  rouse  the  major,  Cranston  stirred  up  his  boy 
bugler.  It  took  a  minute  or  two  to  make  Chrome 
comprehend  the  situation.  "  Why,"  said  he,  "  who'd 
be  ass  enough  to  be  marching  or  drilling  with  trumpet 
calls  this  hour  of  the  night  and  in  the  midst  of  a  cam 
paign  ?" 

Cranston  reminded  him  how  scattered  troops  of  the 
— th,  his  own  regiment,  had  found  each  other  by  night 
the  previous  year ;  how  Truscott  announced  the  com 
ing  of  his  relieving  column  to  Wayne's  beleaguered 
squadron ;  and  Chrome  slowly  found  his  legs  and  fac 
ulties,  but  wouldn't  believe  his  subordinates.  He 
demanded  the  evidence  of  his  own  senses,  and  unwill- 


UNDER  FIRE.  415 

ingly  accompanied  them  to  the  point  beyond  the  lines, 
Cranston's  trumpeter  sleepily  following.  It  was  full 
five  minutes  before  again  the  call  was  heard,  and  then 
it  seemed  farther  away  than  before,  too  far  away  for 
Chrome,  who  still  could  not  believe  it. 

/'  Let  my  trumpeter  hail  them,"  urged  Cranston, 
"  then  they'll  answer."  But  Chrome  said  that  wouldn't 
do ;  it  would  wake  up  or  startle  everybody  in  camp, 
and  so  declined. 

"  It's  all  your  fancy,"  he  said.  "  There  are  none  of 
our  fellows  with  Tintop,  and " 

"  But  he  knows  you,  with  at  least  two  troops  of  the 
— th,  are  somewhere  out  here,  sir,  and  he  takes  a  regi 
mental  way  of  trying  to  communicate  with  you.  I 
beg  you  to  listen  one  moment  more.  There  /"  And 
this  time  even  Chrome  was  convinced,  and  the  next 
instant  guards  and  pickets,  sleeping  troopers,  and 
drowsing  steeds  all  came  staggering  to  their  feet,  roused 
by  the  shrill  blast  from  Cranston's  trumpet  sounding 
"Forward!" 

And  half  an  hour  later  there  came  jogging  wearily 
into  camp,  guided  for  a  time  only  by  the  call,  and 
finally  met  and  escorted  by  the  picket,  a  sergeant  and 
trumpeter  from  old  Tintop  himself,  and  the  letter  they 
bore  put  an  end  even  to  Chrome's  inertness.  In  brief, 
terse  words  it  told  the  story.  He  and  his  command 
had  had  a  sharp,  stubborn  fight  with  a  big  force  of 
hostiles  that  very  day,  with  considerable  loss  to  both. 
"  If  you  had  been  here  with  your  men,"  Tintop  said, 
"  I  believe  we  could  have  cleaned  them  out  entirely." 
The  main  body,  howrever,  had  retired  toward  the 
agency  at  the  head  of  Spirit  River,  but  a  band  of  Un- 


416  UNDER  FIRE. 

capapas  and  Minneconjous,  that  had  cut  loose  from  all, 
had  gone  on  down  the  Ska,  making  for  a  junction  with 
some  of  Red  Dog's  people  at  the  confluence  of  the 
streams.  Tintop  held  that  Chrome  must  be  there  by 
this  time,  but  if  detained  from  any  cause  this  was  to 
tell  him  to  strike,  strike  hard  and  instantly  with  every 
man  at  his  back,  and  that  he,  Winthrop,  would  sup 
port  as  soon  as  possible. 

Fording  the  Ska  above  the  narrows  of  the  valley, 
the  faithful  messengers  had  plunged  into  the  open 
country  to  the  east,  so  as  to  keep  well  in  rear  of  the 
fleeing  Indians,  then  sounding  officers'  call,  the  night 
signal  of  the  — th,  as  they  came,  rode  eastward  through 
the  starlight,  scouring  the  broad  prairies  for  the  com 
rade  column. 

Half  an  hour  later  the  command  was  saddling.  Cof 
fee  had  been  hurriedly  served.  The  packers  were 
lashing  their  bulky  sacks  and  boxes  to  the  apparejos 
and  turning  loose  the  patient  little  burden-bearers. 
Old  Thunder  Hawk,  grave  and  dignified,  had  been 
standing  in  consultation  with  Chrome  and  his  troop 
commanders.  He  knew  the  point  where  the  hostiles 
were  probably  in  camp,  arid  placed  it,  as  did  Tintop's 
scouts,  close  to  the  confluence  of  the  Wakpa  Wakon 
and  the  Ska.  Thunder  Hawk  was  of  the  Ogallallas, 
therefore  not  a  tribesman  of  the  renegades,  but  he  was 
a  Sioux,  and  therefore  a  brother.  He  had  counselled 
peace  to  his  people,  and  they  had  rewarded  him  with 
taunts  and  jeers.  He  had  accompanied  the  column, 
formally  enrolled  as  a  scout,  and  he  would  be  guide 
and  adviser  to  the  white  chief,  yet  shrank  from  per 
sonal  part  in  the  coming  battle.  He  had  been  asked 


C  \DElt   FIRE.  417 

how  many  miles  it  was  to  the  forks  and  replied  fif 
teen,  "  but,"  said  he,  "  it  is  much  farther  by  the  way 
the  chief  should  go." 

"  We  want  to  go  the  shortest  way,"  was  Chrome's 
short  reply.  "  The  quickest  way  to  reach  and  strike 
them." 

Already  Cranston  seemed  to  divine  what  the  old 
Indian  meant  to  counsel, — "The  longest  way  round 
is  the  shortest  way  home,"  in  fact,  as  Hawk  calmly 
explained.  They  knew  the  white  soldiers  were  coming 
from  Ogallalla.  They  expected  them  from  the  south 
east, — had  seen  them  coming  from  that  direction  and, 
falling  back  to  the  stream  before  them,  were  watching 
for  their  coming  on  the  following  morn.  Their  scouts 
could  not  be  more  than  a  few  miles  in  front  of  them 
now.  They  would  be  up  and  away  the  moment  they 
heard  of  the  near  approach  of  the  column.  Then  it 
would  be  a  stern  chase  into  the  heart  of  the  hills, 
and  there,  reinforced  by  renegades  from  all  sides,  they 
might  be  able  to  turn  upon  and  overwhelm  their  pur 
suers.  There  was  only  one  likely  way  of  striking 
them  where  they  were,  and  that  was  by  making  wide 
circuit  to  the  north,  fording  the  Ska  far  behind  their 
camp,  and  then,  turning  up-stream,  attack  them  from 
the  north  or  northeast.  Chrome  saw  the  point  and 
yielded.  When  at  1.30  the  little  command  mounted 
and  moved  away  it  was  at  brisk,  steady  walk,  "  column 
half  right,"  with  the  pole  star  high  aloft  but  straight 
ahead.  Ten  minutes  out  and  they  struck  the  trot. 
"  Bedad  !"  said  Trooper  Riley,  at  the  rear  of  column, 
"  Old  Chrome  Teller's  had  his  nap  out  at  last." 

Many's  the  time  a  cavalry  column,  after  an  all-night 
bb 


418  UNDER  FIRE. 

march,  finds  itself  jaded  and  drowsy  just  as  a  blithe 
young  world  is  waking  up  to  hail  the  coming  day. 
Far  different  is  the  feeling  when,  refreshed  by  a  few 
hours'  sound  and  dreamless  sleep,  warmed  with  that 
soldier  comfort,  coffee,  and  thrilled  by  the  whispered 
news  of  "  fight  ahead/7  the  troop  pricks  eagerly  on. 
Then  the  faint  blush  of  the  eastern  sky,  the  cool  breath 
of  the  morning  breeze,  the  dim  gray  light  that  steals 
across  the  view,  all  are  hailed  with  bounding  pulse  and 
kindling  eyes.  It  was  just  at  the  peep  of  day,  after  a 
glorious  burst  over  the  bounding  turf,  that  Chrome's 
little  battalion,  some  two  hundred  and  forty  strong, 
riding  in  broad  column  of  fours,  and  guided  by  old 
Thunder  Hawk  himself,  turned  squarely  to  the  left  at 
the  head  of  a  long,  dark,  winding  ravine,  and,  dimin 
ishing  front  to  two  abreast,  and  steadying  down  to  the 
walk  again,  dove  out  of  sight  among  the  tortuous 
depths.  Thirty  minutes  more  and  the  Ska  was  foam 
ing  about  the  horses'  bellies  as  they  boldly  forded  the 
stream,  every  man  whipping  out  and  raising  carbine 
as  his  steed  plunged  in.  Then,  turning  southwest- 
ward,  close  under  the  bluffs  of  the  Indian  shore,  they 
rode  within  the  reservation  lines  at  last,  with  the  dawn 
no  longer  at  the  sabre  hand,  but  at  the  bridle.  Peer 
ing  out  through  the  dim  ghostly  light,  long  miles  to 
the  south,  were  the  Uncapapa  scouts,  watching  for  the 
first  sign  of  the  coming  of  the  column  that,  slipping 
away  from  before  them  in  the  darkness  of  midnight, 
had  ridden  in  wide  circuit  around  and  across  their  front, 
burrowed  into  the  earth  at  the  first  blush  of  the  morn 
ing  sky,  reappeared  dripping  on  the  left  bank  of  the 
bordering  stream,  the  Rubicon  of  the  reservation,  and 


UNDER   FIRE.  419 

now  was  swiftly  bearing  down  upon  the  devoted  vil 
lage  from  a  quarter  utterly  unsuspected. 

"Just  4.15,"  said  Cranston,  glancing  at  his  watch 
as  soon  as  it  was  possible  to  see.  "  How  do  you  feel, 
Davies?" 

"  Better  than  I  have  for  a  month,  though  tired.  I 
told  Burroughs  no  harm  could  result.  That  scratch 
is  almost  entirely  healed.  How  far  ahead  are  they 
supposed  to  be,  captain  ?  It'll  be  broad  daylight, 
even  in  this  deep  valley,  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour." 

Sanders,  acting  as  Chrome's  adjutant,  came  riding 
back  from  the  head  of  column  at  the  very  moment 
and  reined  about  alongside  his  own  troop  commander. 
"  I'd  rather  be  here  in  my  old  place,  sir,  and  you're  in 
big  luck  to  have  it,  Parson.  The  major  says  he  wants 
to  capture  their  whole  pony  herd,  if  it  takes  three 
troops  to  do  it,  and  '  C '  is  to  charge  the  village  and 
rout  out  the  bucks." 

It  so  happened  that  Cranston's  troop  was  bringing 
up  the  rear  of  column, — only  the  pack-mules  and  their 
guard  being  behind, — a  long  distance  behind  at  the 
moment,  for  the  pace  had  been  trot  or  lope  for  ten  miles 
until  the  command  reached  the  shelter  of  the  ravine. 

"  I  was  in  hopes  there  was  no  village,"  said  Crans 
ton  ;  "  that  we'd  only  strike  the  wickyups  of  a  war- 
party.  Do  you  mean  village,  Sanders  ?" 

"  Thunder  Hawk  says  he's  afraid  so,  sir.  He  thinks 
the  Uncapapas  and  Minneconjous  who  were  rounded 
up  last  fall  really  want  to  get  away  and  join  the  bulk 
of  their  tribe  who  are  summering  in  Canada  with  Sit 
ting  Bull.  If  so  this  was  their  chance,  and  they've 
got  their  women  and  children  with  them," 


420  UNDER  FIRE. 

Cranston's  face  seemed  to  grow  paler  in  the  gray 
gathering  light.  "  There's  no  help  for  it,  then,"  he 
said  ;  "  but  I  hate  that  sort  of  thing.  How  near  are 
we?" 

"  Within  two  or  three  miles/'  Hawk  says.  "  He 
and  Bear  and  two  others  have  galloped  out  ahead. 
We'll  know  by  the  time  we've  reached  that  bluff  yon 
der."  And  he  pointed  to  a  magnificent  rose-tipped  pali 
sade  of  rock  that  jutted  out  across  their  path.  "  That's 
Good  Heart  Butte,  and  the  Wakon  comes  in  just 
around  it.  It's  ten  to  one  we'll  find  them  right  there. 
Where're  you  going,  Cullen?"  he  called  to  a  trooper 
who  came  cantering  back  past  the  flank  of  the  column. 

"To  hurry  up  the  pack-train,  sir.  It's  the  major's 
orders,"  sung  out  the  trooper,  only  momentarily  check 
ing  his  horse.  It  always  annoys  the  officers  of  a  march 
ing  column  to  have  messengers  galloping  up  and  down 
along  their  flanks,  but  this  was  the  major's  own  orderly, 
and  no  man  might  rebuke  but  the  chief  himself. 

"  Reckon  I'd  better  get  up  to  the  front  again,"  said 
Sanders,  as  he  spurred  away  and  left  the  friends  to 
gether.  Cranston  looked  back  at  his  leading  four. 
His  veteran  first  sergeant  was  commanding  a  platoon, 
and  it  was  a  junior  sergeant  who  rode  with  the  head 
of  column,  and  next  him  a  stunted  little  Irish  corporal, 
for  by  the  inexorable  rule  of  the  cavalry  the  shorter 
men  rode  at  the  flanks  of  the  troop.  Midway  down 
the  column  the  guidon-bearer  was  just  unfurling  and 
shaking  out  its  silken  folds,  but  without  raising  it  so 
as  to  attract  the  attention  of  possible  spies.  Forward, 
in  the  ranks  of  the  two  companies  of  the  — th,  uni 
forms  were  rare  and  no  guidons  visible ; — long  cam- 


UNDER  FIRE.  421 

paigning  in  Arizona  had  taught  the  uselessuess  of  both 
in  Indian  warfare,  but  the  Eleventh  had  their  tradi 
tions,  as  had  the  Seventh,  and  rode  into  action  with  a 
certain  old-fashioned  style  and  circumstance  that  lent 
inspiration  to  the  scene.  Turning  out  of  column  for  a 
moment  the  captain  rode  slowly  alongside,  looking  over 
his  men  as  they  passed  him  by.  There  was  always 
something  trim,  elastic,  jaunty  about  his  troop,  and 
they  knew  it,  and  even  on  long  marches  in  hard  cam 
paigns  the  men  would  instinctively  "  brace  up"  and 
raise  their  heads  and  square  their  dusty  shoulders 
when  they  felt  the  captain's  eye  upon  them.  He 
couldn't  help  seeing  how  eagerly  and  with  what  trust 
and  faith  in  their  leader  many  of  his  sixty  glanced  at 
him  as  though  to  question  what  work  he  might  have 
in  hand  for  them  to-day.  Side  by  side  with  the  guidon- 
bearer  rode  Corporal  Brannan.  "  Another  chance  for 
our  prodigy,"  smiled  Cranston  to  himself.  "  I  wonder 
if  it  will  be  as  warm  in  Chicago  as  it  promises  to  be 
here.  More  than  one  mother  there  will  be  kneeling 
little  dreaming,  even  as  she  prays  for  his  safety,  what 
scenes  her  boy  may  be  battling  through  this  day."  The 
thought  sent  a  lump  into  his  throat  and  softened  the 
soldier  light  in  his  eye.  u  You'd  rather  be  here  than 
at  the  agency  guard,  I  fancy,  Brannan?" 

"  Indeed  I  would,  sir,  if  we  get  a  fight  out  of  'em." 
"  We'll  get  it,  I  think,  and  speedily,  too.     Look  to 
your  pistols,  men.     We're  to  charge  them." 

One  could  almost  feel  the  thrill  that  leaped  along 
the  column.  Every  horse  seemed  to  start  and  paw  and 
dance  as  though  impatient  for  the  word.  Some  faces 
flushed,  others  lost  a  shade  or  two  of  tan,  as  some  faces 

36 


422  UNDER  FIRE. 

will  in  presence  of  sudden  peril  or  the  news  of  stirring 
battle  just  ahead.  Out  from  the  holsters  came  the 
blue-brown  Colts,  each  man  twirling  the  cylinder,  test 
ing  the  hammer  and  trigger,  and  counting  his  shots, 
even  while  holding  the  weapon  steadfastly  "  muzzle 
up."  Nervous  troopers  have  been  known  to  kill  a 
comrade  or  his  horse  at  just  such  times. 

"  Look  to  it  that  each  has  six  shots  ready,  and  re 
member  the  old  rules  now,  men.  Stop  for  nothing 
unless  some  one  falls.  Charge  through  and  rally  on  the 
farther  side.  Careful  about  the  women  and  children  if 
there  are  any.  Return  pistol  now."  And  here  again 
came  Sanders  galloping  back,  his  face  aglow,  his  eyes 
snapping. 

"  Treed  'em,  captain,"  he  shouted,  gleefully.  "  A 
thundering  big,  loose-jointed  village,  too,  tepees  and 
all.  It  covers  a  ten-acre  lot  and  more.  Must  be  a 
thousand  ponies  in  the  herd  right  around  the  point. 
The  major  says  to  come  ahead  with  e  C.' r' 

Just  here  the  ground  was  open  and  fairly  level,  the 
trail  cutting  across  a  bend  in  the  stream.  Just  ahead 
towered  Good  Heart  Butte,  with  its  glistening,  gilded 
crest  throwing  a  black  shadow  half-way  up  the  billow 
ing  westward  slopes.  Over  at  the  east  across  the 
stream,  bold  and  beautifully  rounded,  the  bluffs  went 
rolling  away,  knoll  after  knoll,  shoulder  after  shoulder 
heavily  wooded  and  fringed  at  their  bases  and  in  the 
deep  ravines,  and  away  over  those  natural  ramparts, 
far  out  to  the  southeast,  still  rode  and  peeped  and  peered 
the  young  braves,  but  ever  in  the  direction  of  the  far 
Ogallalla,  marvelling  that  no  sign  appeared  of  the 
threatening  foe.  Not  half  a  mile  in  front,  along  a  low 


UNDER  FIRE.  423 

ridge,  a  little  group  of  scouts,  Hawk,  Bear,  and  two 
half-breed  Sioux,  were  lying,  peeping  at  the  village  still 
sleeping  in  fancied  security.  Chrome,  riding  a  trifle 
heavily,  and  speaking  with  just  a  tinge  of  excitement 
in  his  tone,  came  jogging  back  from  the  ridge  to  meet 
his  men  just  as  Cranston's  troop  trotted  up  from  the 
rear  of  column,  parallel  with  their  comrades  of  the 
— th,  at  whose  head  rode  Canker  with  that  injured  ex 
pression  on  his  face  that  was  habitual  to  him  at  no  time 
more  than  when  he  thought  somebody  else  was  going 
to  get  into  a  fight  ahead  of  him.  He  couldn't  under 
stand  why  Chrome  should  have  picked  out  Cranston 
for  the  dash  on  the  village  and  retained  him  for  so  much 
less  conspicuous  a  duty.  Everybody,  however,  who 
knew  Canker  knew  he  had  absolutely  no  dash  at  all. 
Brave  and  determined  he  might  be,  but  Canker's  idea 
of  a  charge  was  a  steady  advance  in  line,  to  be  instantly 
checked  and  corrected  and  done  over  again  if  the  men 
lost  either  touch  or  "  dress." 

"We  haven't  a  moment  to  lose,  gentlemen,"  sang 
out  the  major.  "The  village  is  already  waking. 
Cranston,  you  charge  through  and  stir  'em  up  all  you 
can.  Truman,  you  support  Cranston  in  line,  but  don't 
follow  in  unless  he's  checked.  Captain  Canker,  take 
the  two  troops  and  round  up  that  pony  herd ;  it's  half 
a  mile  long.  Just  as  quick  as  you've  rallied  beyond 
the  village,  Cranston,  you  face  about  and  stand  off  any 
Indians  who  rip  out  on  that  side.  What  I  want  is  to 
drive  every  pony  across  the  Wakon  and  up  the  Ska 
valley,  where  we'll  find  support.  Get  them  on  the 
jump  and  we're  all  right.  Now  I'll  ride  somewhere 
between  Canker  and  Truman.  All  ready  now  ?" 


424  UNDER  FIRE. 

"What  I  want  to  know,  major,  is  this,"  began 
Canker,  always  on  the  lookout  for  some  point  or  flaw. 

"  Well,  you  can  ask  what  you  want  as  we  advance, 
captain.  Are  you  ready,  Cranston  ?" 

"Ay,  ay,  sir,"  answered  Cranston,  in  the  hearty, 
nautical  fashion  he  so  much  liked  that  it  had  become 
habitual  with  him. 

"  Then  shove  ahead.  We're  backing  you  now.  Now, 
Canker,  what  is  it?" 

But  no  one  else  cared  what  Canker  wanted.  All 
eyes  were  on  Cranston  and  his  troop.  Quickening  the 
pace  he  led  the  way,  keeping  in  fours  until  clear  of 
the  head  of  column,  then  rapidly  forming  line.  "Now, 
Davies,  just  keep  them  so,"  he  ordered,  as  he  rode 
diagonally  over  in  front  of  the  first  platoon,  "  while  I 
gallop  ahead  and  get  a  peep  over  that  ridge." 

Another  minute  and,  curveting  with  impatience  even 
after  their  twenty-mile  spurt,  the  handsome  bays  were 
dancing  in  one  long  line  over  the  springy  turf,  Davies 
and  two  stalwart  sergeants  in  front  of  the  three  pla 
toons.  They  saw  their  soldierly  leader  whip  off  his 
hat  as  he  rode  up  the  slope,  rein  cautiously  in  and  peer 
eagerly  over,  saw  him  gesticulating  as  he  conferred 
with  old  Hawk,  who  lay  on  his  stomach  a  dozen  yards 
farther  to  the  front  and  to  the  right,  where  the  ridge 
was  a  little  higher.  Every  man  knew  that  just  ahead 
of  him,  over  that  curtain,  lay  in  overwhelming  force 
the  mass  of  their  red  enemies.  Not  one  of  their  rank 
had  yet  set  eyes  on  the  point  of  attack.  Not  one  man 
knew  how  many  lodges,  much  less  how  many  braves, 
would  leap  into  view  the  instant  they  went  bounding 
over  the  crest ;  yet  not  a  soul  faltered,  for,  turning  with 


.  UNDER  FIRE.  425 

confident,  eager  mien,  their  captain  signalled  come  on, 
and  Davies  ordered  "  Trot !" 

"  It's  all  right,  lads,"  cheerily  rang  Cranston's  voice, 
as  he  rode  circling  down  to  place  himself  at  their  head. 
"  The  ground's  open  and  level.  We  can  go  through 
like  a  blizzard.  Draw  pistol !  Now,  not  a  sound  till 
I  say  charge,  but  take  the  pace  from  me." 

Up  the  gentle  slope  they  go,  many  horses  already 
plunging  and  tugging  at  their  bits,  the  glorious  excite 
ment  of  the  rider  communicating  itself,  as  it  must  and 
will  where  horse  and  man  are  in  sympathy.  Right 
behind  Cranston  rides  his  second  sergeant  command 
ing  the  second  platoon,  the  streaming  guidon,  lowered 
still,  a  little  to  his  left  and  rear.  Already  the  men  are 
opening  out  a  trifle,  for  this  is  to  be  no  charge  upon 
serried  masses  of  disciplined  troops,  no  crash  of  cavalry 
upon  cavalry,  where  the  line  which  rides  with  the 
greater  impetus,  the  closer  touch,  the  more  accurate 
alignment,  hurls  the  greater  shock  and  weight  upon  the 
foe.  Here  no  naked  sabre  flames  in  air, — a  useless 
blade  in  Indian  battle, — but  all  through  the  plunging 
rank  are  keen  old  campaigners  whose  eyes  blaze  from 
underneath  the  slouching  hat  brims,  whose  muscular 
brown  hands  grasp  the  pistol  butt,  who  ride  with  close 
gripping  thighs,  for  well  they  know  that  once  over  the 
crest,  "  gallop"  and  "  charge"  will  follow  in  quick  suc 
cession,  and  there  will  be  but  an  instant  in  which  to 
see  and  think  or  plan.  Indeed,  from  a  cavalry  point 
of  view  it  really  is  not  a  charge  at  all,  not  even  a  charge 
as  foragers,  but  rather  a  wild  dash  into  and  through  a 
straggling,  swarming  village  of  Indian  lodges,  every 
man  for  himself  when  once  turned  loose,  the  whole 

36* 


426  UNDER  FIRE. 

object  being  to  carry  terror,  panic,  and  confusion  to  the 
half-waking  warriors,  and  so  cover  the  major's  main 
effort,  which  is  to  whirl  away  with  him  every  pony  in 
the  valley.  This  done  the  red  renegades  are  crippled 
for  good  and  all,  and  their  outbreak  is  at  an  end. 

All  eyes  are  on  Cranston's  gallant  troop  then  as  it 
goes  sweeping  up  the  gentle  slope.  Already  Truman's 
men  are  galloping  front  into  line  so  as  to  follow  and 
support.  Already  Chrome  is  spurring  eagerly  forward 
to  watch  the  effect.  Already  Canker,  grim,  cynical, 
dissatisfied,  but  obedient,  is  launching  his  leading  troop 
well  over  to  the  right  front,  at  swift  gallop,  too,  so  as 
to  head  off  such  fugitives — Indians  or  ponies — as  may 
attempt  to  scurry  away  westward ;  but  still  the  eyes  of 
all  men  seem  to  follow  Cranston,  for  his,  after  all,  is 
the  perilous  part.  Already  Thunder  Hawk  and  Bear 
have  run  back  down  the  slope  to  leap  into  saddle,  for 
the  earth  begins  to  quiver  and  shake  under  the  bound 
ing  hoofs,  and  with  another  moment  all  the  valley  will 
wake  to  the  ringing  battle-cry.  "My  God  !"  mutters 
little  Sanders,  lunging  along  after  his  major,  "why 
ain't  I  with  my  own  instead  of  loafing  here  ?" 

And  now  they  see  Cranston  glancing  back  over  his 
shoulder  and  carrying  hand  to  holster.  Up  like  a 
centaur  he  bounds  against  the  sky  line,  up  after  him 
the  long  rank  of  ragged  hat  brims  and  blue-shirted, 
broad-belted,  manly  forms,  up  the  plunging  line  of  hard- 
tugging  bays,  their  black  tails  streaming  in  the  morning 
wind,  and  then  Cranston's  arm  flings  up  aloft ;  up  into 
plain  view  streams  and  flaps  the  silken  guidon, — the 
stars  and  stripes  in  swallow- tailed  miniature  that  the 
troopers  loved  to  see, — and  then  the  thud  gives  way  to 


UNDER  FIRE.  427 

thunder,  for  as  one  man  "  C"  troop  strikes  the  gallop 
with  the  thronging  Indian  village  not  five  hundred 
yards  ahead. 

Scattered  over  the  low  level  between  the  receding 
bluffs  and'  the  rapid  stream,  loosely  covering  a  stretch 
of  nearly  half  a  mile  along  the  shores,  with  their 
ragged  crown  of  pole  tops  wrapped  in  smoky  hide  or 
canvas,  their  spreading  bases  littered  with  the  rude 
crates,  "  parfleches"  and  travois,  some  fourscore  Indian 
wigwams  burst  into  view  as  the  line  darts  over  the 
crest.  "Oh,  murther !  Six  to  wan  at  least,"  gasps  an 
old  growler  in  the  right  platoon,  and  Davies  whirls 
about  in  saddle.  "Silence  there,  Donovan  !"  is  all  he 
says. 

And  now  can  be  seen  wild  scurry  and  confusion. 
Four  or  five  dingy  forms  dart  in  and  out  among  the 
tepees.  Three  or  four  Indian  boys  are  lashing  in 
from  the  almost  countless  herd  of  ponies.  Startled 
by  the  tremor  and  thunder,  the  nearest  of  these  sturdy 
little  beasts,  with  tossing  heads  and  manes,  have  taken 
alarm,  and  are  already  beginning  an  aimless  scamper 
that  in  another  moment  will  spread  to  the  entire  flock. 
Not  a  moment  to  lose,  indeed!  One  more  backward 
glance  does  Cranston  fling  as  his  magnificent  bay 
quickens  his  stride,  and  the  long  line  instantly  responds. 
One  half  nod,  half  smile  to  Davies,  for  the  Parson 
rides  like  moss  trooper  of  old,  with  grim  set  face, 
despite  the  eager  light  in  his  keen,  blue-gray  eyes. 

"  Open  out  now  a  little,  men  !  Gently,  keep  your 
rank !"  for  the  chargers  are  tugging  madly,  straining 
for  a  race.  A  terrified  squaw,  clasping  her  baby  to 
her  breast,  bursts  from  the  nearest  tepee,  pauses  one 


428  UNDER  FIRE. 

instant  as  though  paralyzed,  and  then,  with  unerring 
instinct,  holding  her  little  one  on  high,  runs  straight 
forward,  mutely  appealing,  straight  for  the  galloping 
line.  "  Open  out !  Look  out  for  the  kid  !  Let  her 
through,  lads,"  are  the  low,  hurried  cautions.  Some 
where  on  the  near  skirt  of  the  village  a  wild  war-whoop 
rings  out  on  the  air,  a  mad  cry  of  warning,  then  bang, 
zip,  comes  the  first  shot  from  the  tepees,  whistling 
over  Cranston's  shoulder  and  skimming  a  mile  away 
down-stream.  No  need  of  further  caution  now.  Now 
is  the  time.  Cranston's  voice  rings  like  the  bugler's 
clarion  mingling  in  the  order  "  Charge !"  and  the 
welkin  rings,  the  rocks  re-echo  to  the  grand  burst  of 
cheers  with  which  "  C"  Troop  goes  tearing,  thrashing 
into  the  heart  of  the  village,  swallowed  up  instantly  in 
a  dense  cloud  of  dust.  For  a  moment  cheer  and  yell 
and  rallying  and  war-cry,  mingling  with  the  thunder  of 
hoofs  and  the  sharp  crackling  of  revolver  and  rifle, 
drown  all  other  sounds.  Then  the  screams  of  Indian 
women  and  children  add  to  the  clamor,  and,  with  slash 
ing  knives,  the  startled  braves  hew  their  way  out  through 
the  tepees.  Then  the  thunder  is  swelled  by  the  mad 
rush  of  the  pony  herd  away  from  the  driving  storm. 
The  cheer  is  renewed  by  Canker's  men,  yelling  and 
hat  waving  at  the  heels  of  the  herd.  The  dust-cloud 
in  the  village  is  but  a  flimsy  veil  to  the  dense  volume 
that  goes  floating  skyward  and  southward,  for  prac 
tised  hands  have  prevailed,  and  the  red  man's  most 
precious  possessions,  all  but  a  scattered  few  stam 
peding  to  and  fro  among  the  wigwams,  are  swept  from 
his  maddened  sight. 

And   then   comes   the   rally  on   the  flats   beyond. 


UNDER  FIRE.  429 

Sweeping  and  circling  in  the  effort  to  control  their  ex 
cited  horses,  the  troopers,  exultant,  come  reining  up  into 
line  long  pistol-shot  south  of  the  terror-stricken  village. 
Off  to  the  west  the  great  dust-cloud  is  slowly  settling 
to  earth,  and  through  it  Truman's  men,  in  perfect 
order,  with  carbines  advanced,  can  be  seen  moving  by 
the  flank,  but  interposing  ever  between  the  village  and 
the  captured  herds.  Cranston,  easily  reining  his  paw 
ing  charger,  sits  facing  the  reforming  centre  of  his  pant 
ing  line.  The  guidon-bearer  is  there  all  right  and  waves 
aloft  the  fluttering  folds,  and  the  boy  trumpeter  tries 
to  sound  the  recall,  but  makes  a  mess  of  it,  and  throws 
the  forming  rank  into  convulsions  of  unrebuked  chaff 
and  laughter.  The  captain  is  proud  of  his  men 
and  unbends  for  the  occasion,  but,  all  the  same,  he 
eagerly  counts  the  files,  looking  for  this  familiar  bearded 
face  or  that.  Both  sergeant  platoon  commanders  are 
there.  The  second  and  third  platoons  re-form  without 
much  delay  and  with  hardly  a  missing  face.  It's  the 
first  that  proves  to  be  the  last.  They  had  to  charge 
through  the  thickest  part  of  the  village, — the  westward 
side,  where  more  Indians  were  awake  and  alert,  roused 
by  the  cries  of  the  herd  guards.  The  dust-cloud  is 
still  settling.  Galloping  forms  still  issue  from  it  and 
the  western  skirts  of  the  village,  from  the  clumps  of 
cottoiiwoods,  from  under  the  banks,  whither  the  mad 
dash  of  some  horses  had  carried  their  riders.  But 
Cranston's  face  loses  its  smile,  a  world  of  anxiety  sud 
denly  replaces  it,  for  shots  and  yells  ring  from  the 
midst  of  the  village  still,  and  the  chief  of  the  first 
platoon  is  not  here  to  rally  his  men. 

"  Who's  missing  there,  sergeant  ?"  he  calls,  spurring 


430  UNDER  FIRE. 

over  to  where  a  trooper  comes  riding  heavily  forward, 
drooping  a  little  as  he  rides. 

"Four  or  five,  sir.  Donovan  was  shot  from  his 
horse  and  the  lieutenant  went  back  for  him." 

"  Quick,  trumpeter !  Ride  to  Captain  Truman  and 
tell  him  to  whirl  about  and  help  us.  Now,  men,  fol 
low  for  all  you're  worth  !" 

And  when  the  dust-cloud  settles  on  the  flats  south  of 
the  Miuneconjou  village,  only  one  of  "  C"  Troop  re 
mains  to  greet  the  eyes  of  the  battalion  adjutant,  sent 
back  with  Major  Chrome's  impatient  query  as  to  why 
on  earth  the  Eleventh  doesn't  come  on.  It  is  Sergeant 
Grant,  who  has  toppled  out  of  saddle — dead. 


CHAPTER    XXX. 

IF  there  be  any  truth  in  the  saying  that  a  burnt 
child  shuns  the  fire,  the  two  officers  who  led  "  C"  troop 
in  its  dash  on  the  village  should  have  been  almost  any 
where  else,  and  at  least  ten  of  Cranston's  men  bore  the 
scars  of  previous  battle,  either  in  the  South  or  on 
the  frontier.  The  captain  was  still  reminded  of  his 
ugly  wound,  received  the  previous  summer,  by  sharp, 
burning  twinges  of  pain.  Davies,  the  junior,  as  we 
know,  had  not  yet  recovered  his  strength,  and  had  gone 
on  this  sudden  raid,  stepping  practically  from  a  sick-bed 
to  the  saddle.  Twice  that  morning,  as  the  captain 
looked  with  ill-concealed  anxiety  into  the  face  of  his 
friend  and  subaltern,  he  noted  its  pallor,  despite  the 
expression  of  stern  determination.  Had  there  been 


UNDER  FIRE.  431 

time  lie  would  covertly  have  warned  three  or  four 
"  stalwarts'7  of  the  first  platoon  not  to  lose  sight  of  their 
lieutenant,  and  to  hold  themselves  close  in  support, 
but  there  was  no  time.  Indeed,  as  the  sequel  proved, 
there  was  no  need.  Soldier  stories  fly  fast  among  the 
rank  and  file,  and  the  men  of  "  C"  Troop  had  heard 
from  many  a  source  how  the  young  officer  on  his  first 
campaign  had  denied  himself,  stinted  himself,  starved 
himself,  nearly,  in  order  to  share  his  scant  supply  of 
food  with  the  weak  and  suffering  in  his  own  troop, 
and  so  they  welcomed  his  presence  with  them  now 
when  the  column  marched  from  the  cantonment,  and 
spoke  among  themselves  their  admiration  of  the  pluck 
of  the  young  officer  in  being  so  soon  again  on  duty. 

And  so  it  happened  that  as  the  pace  quickened  that 
stirring  June  morning  and  the  long  line  swept  down 
upon  the  rousing,  shrieking  village,  and  the  first  shot 
came  singing  over  their  heads  and  the  wild  cheer 
leaped  to  their  lips  as  the  trumpet  sounded  charge, 
while  many  troopers  sought  their  own  course  through 
and  among  the  fire-spitting  lodges,  Sergeant  Grant  with 
Donovan  and  two  others  drove  their  horses  close  at 
the  heels  of  the  lieutenant's.  Only  squaws  or  children 
appeared  among  the  tepees  as  they  dashed  furiously  in. 
"  Look  out !  Don't  harm  the  women  !"  they  heard 
him  cry,  as  he  held  his  own  pistol  hand  well  aloft,  but 
in  another  second  a  scowling,  painted  faced  flashed  one 
brief  instant  into  view  as  their  leader  went  lunging 
by,  a  shot  rang  on  the  air,  and  flame  and  smoke  jetted 
from  the  lodge  opening.  Three  pistols  barked  in  an 
swer  and  Davies  galloped  on  unhurt,  but  poor  Dono 
van,  with  an  Irish  howl,  dropped  his  revolver,  clapped 


432  UNDER   FIRE. 

his  hands  to  his  stomach  as  he  toppled  out  of  saddle. 
"My  God,  fellers,  I've  got  it,"  was  his  moan,  as  Da- 
vies,  a  superb  rider,  quickly  turned  his  horse  about, 
and  in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye  leaped  to  the  ground 
to  the  trooper's  side. 

"  Quick,  sergeant.  Quick,  men,  help  me  lift  him 
on  my  saddle,  I'm  too  weak,"  was  his  almost  breath 
less  order,  and  gallantly  did  they  answer  him. 

"Are  ye  badly  hit,  Jimmy?"  gasped  an  honest 
Irish  lad,  as  he  strove  to  raise  him  from  the  ground. 
But  deathly  pallor  and  staring,  sightless  eyes  were  the 
sole  reply.  "My  God,  lieutenant,  he's  killed  out 
right.  There's  no  use  staying,"  cried  another  trooper. 
"Mount,  sir,  mount  for  God's  sake!  They'll  be  on 
us  in  a  minute."  But  tugging  still  at  the  limp  and 
lifeless  form,  Da  vies  did  not  seem  to  hear.  The  fierce 
clamor  of  the  charge  was  receding.  Already  the 
second  and  third  platoons  had  cleared  the  village  and 
were  reining  about  and  rallying  on  the  flats  up-stream. 
Already  the  pony  herds,  driven  full  tilt  by  Canker's 
squadron,  were  out  of  sight  in  the  dense  dust-cloud 
and  could  be  heard  thundering  up  the  valley.  Only 
a  portion  of  Truman's  troop  could  be  dimly  seen 
through  the  settling  dust,  but,  worst  of  all,  the  war 
riors  recovering  from  their  panic  came  rushing  from 
their  lodges,  and  in  a  moment  all  would  be  over  with 
the  struggling  little  group  of  blue-coats.  Fortunately, 
they  were  at  the  western  skirt  of  the  village,  and 
almost  all  the  rallying  braves  were  running,  rifle  in 
hand,  down  to  the  southern  edge,  the  direction  of  the 
chase.  Some  few,  springing  upon  the  scattered  ponies 
left  among  the  tepees,  rode  furiously  away  into  the 


UNDER  FIRE.  433 

dust-cloud  in  the  hope  of  recapturing  some  of  their 
stampeded  stock,  and  so  it  happened  that,  except  for 
some  shrieking  women,  only  one  or  two  Indians  ap 
peared  aware  of  the  little  knot  of  troopers  still  in  their 
midst,  but  that  was  more  than  enough.  Davies's 
horse,  pierced  by  a  rifle  bullet,  went  rolling  in  agony 
upon  the  ground  just  as  a  devoted  Irishman  was  try 
ing  to  bolster  the  almost  exhausted  officer  into  saddle, 
and,  luckily  for  him,  Davies  was  borne  to  earth  out  of 
the  way  of  the  shots  that  came  driving  at  them  from 
the  surrounding  lodges.  "  Save  yourselves,"  he  faintly 
called  to  the  remaining  men.  Already  Grant  had 
darted  away  for  help,  receiving  his  death  wound  as  he 
rode.  Then  down  came  another  horse,  while  Dono 
van's,  snorting,  tore  away  among  the  tepees,  and  then 
there  was  help  for  it.  The  little  Irishman,  Carney, 
bending  low,  strove  to  drag  his  prostrate  leader, 
stunned  by  a  kick  from  his  dying  horse,  around  be 
hind  the  nearest  lodge,  when  he,  too,  was  sent  blindly 
stumbling  forward  and  sprawling  in  the  dust,  shot 
through  and  through  from  an  unseen  rifle  not  ten  feet 
away,  and  the  gallant  fellow  never  heard  the  furious 
cheer  with  which  "  C"  Troop  came  charging  back  to 
the  rescue. 

It  is  one  thing  to  dash  into  an  Indian  village ;  it  is 
another  to  get  out  of  it.  Wounded  or  unhorsed,  any 
men  left  behind  are  doomed  to  cruel  and  certain  death. 
Within  another  minute,  Cranston  and  his  men  came 
tearing  in,  firing  right  and  left  at  every  dusky  form 
that  appeared.  Within  a  minute  the  prostrate  bodies 
were  found,  and  half  a  dozen  men,  Brannan  among 
them,  had  sprung  from  their  saddles,  while  the  others 
T  cc  37 


434  UNDER  FIRE. 

rode  blazing  with  their  revolvers  at  the  nearest  lodges, 
some  bringing  their  carbines  into  play.  But  even 
within  that  minute  the  scalping-knife  had  been  at 
work,  and  poor  Donovan's  mutilated  head  lay  in  a 
pool  of  blood.  Short-lived  triumph  for  the  scalper, 
sneaking  to  shelter  with  his  hideous  prize,  for  Crans 
ton's  pistol  stretched  him  in  his  tracks,  and  Sergeant 
Buckner's  big  charger  knocked  the  foremost  of  the 
rescuing  warriors  scrambling  back  between  the  lodges, 
where  other  troopers  drove  their  horses  trampling 
them  under  foot.  But  every  wigwam  had  its  garrison. 
The  village  swarmed  with  maddened  braves,  who  now 
came  rushing  to  the  scene,  and,  they  on  foot  and  the 
troopers  in  saddle,  they  with  their  repeating  rifles,  the 
troopers  with  their  pistols  or  single-shooters,  annihilation 
of  the  latter  could  be  but  a  question  of  a  few  moments. 
Even  before  Davies  and  his  brave  defenders  could  be 
lifted  to  the  saddle  and  led  away,  two  or  three  more 
of  Cranston's  horses  went  down,  and  Corporal  Ber 
tram  was  shot  through  both  thighs.  Then  came  the 
effort  to  retire  fighting,  covering  their  dead  and 
wounded.  There  was  only  one  way  to  go, — out  across 
the  westward  flat,  where  the  ponies  were  peacefully 
grazing  when  the  attacking  column  hove  in  sight. 
Even  as  he  shouted  his  orders  to  his  savagely  fighting 
troop,  Cranston  looked  back  with  keen  anxiety.  To 
what  pitiless  fire  must  they  be  exposed  in  retreating 
over  that  prairie  !  Yet,  with  Indians  on  every  hand 
within  the  village,  it  was  manifestly  his  duty  to  get 
out.  "  Go  on  with  the  wounded  !"  he  cried  to  the  men 
afoot.  "Go  on  !  We'll  cover  you."  And  then  Da- 
vies  slowly  opened  his  eyes  and  began  to  look  feebly 


UNDER  FIRE.  435 

about  him.  Oh,  if  Truman  would  only  come  !  Every 
second  the  fight  waged  fiercer,  hotter,  and  more  men 
dropped  as  they  backed  slowly  away.  Down  went 
Buckner's  horse.  Down  went  the  guidon,  and  then, 
when  it  seemed  as  though  half  the  troop  must  fall 
before  they  could  reach  the  open  field,  the  half-frenzied, 
half-joyous  cheer  of  Truman's  men  rose  shrill  above 
the  clamor,  and  again  the  dancing,  howling  Indians 
dove  for  cover  underneath  the  tepees  as  "  F"  Troop 
came  thundering  through. 

"  By  the  Lord,  but  that's  the  hottest  place  I  ever 
struck  !"  cried  Sergeant  Buckner  a  moment  later,  as, 
slowly  falling  back  now,  most  of  the  men  fighting  on 
foot,  with  the  led  horses  and  the  disabled  soldiers  well 
beyond  them,  "  C"  Troop  was  making  its  way  south- 
westward  towards  the  clump  of  cotton  woods  and  wil 
lows,  close  along  the  stream.  Truman's  men,  after 
their  spirited  and  successful  charge,  were  now  rallying 
well  to  the  north  of  the  village  beyond  the  ridge, 
where  for  the  time  being  they  were  safe  from  the  Indian 
fire.  But  once  more  now  the  warriors  in  the  village 
were  swarming  along  its  western  limit  and,  flat  on 
their  bellies,  firing  vengefully  on  Cranston's  retiring 
line,  now  three  hundred  yards  away,  and  every  mo 
ment  some  horse  would  rear  and  plunge,  stung  by  the 
hissing  lead,  but  only  one  more  soldier  had  been  hit. 
Davies,  faint  and  dizzy  and  only  semi-conscious  still, 
was  riding  slowly  away  with  Brannan's  supporting  arm 
about  him.  The  bodies  of  Carney  and  Donovan  were 
thrown  across  led  horses  and  lashed  on  with  lariats, 
and  Cranston  had  just  sent  a  corporal  to  tell  the  horse- 
holders  to  move  more  quickly  when,  up  the  slopes  to 


436  UNDER  FIRE. 

the  north,  the  men  caught  sight  of  a  horse  and  rider 
darting  toward  them  from  the  distant  ridge  over 
which  Truman's  men  had  disappeared.  Straight  as  an 
arrow's  flight  they  came,  heedless  of  the  fact  that  their 
course  was  along  the  western  edge  of  the  Indian  village 
and  barely  two  hundred  yards  away.  "My  God, 
fellers,  it's  little  Millikin  !"  cried  an  excited  trooper. 
"  Ride  wide,  you  young  idiot !"  yelled  another,  but  all 
to  no  purpose.  The  boy  trumpeter  who  had  borne 
the  message  to  Truman  and  charged  with  him  through 
the  village  was  now  on  his  homing  flight  to  rejoin  his 
own.  Vengeful  yells  and  war-whoops  rang  from  the 
village  as  warrior  after  warrior  caught  sight  of  him 
and  blazed  away.  Throwing  himself  out  of  saddle, 
Indian  fashion,  and  clinging  like  a  monkey  to  the  off 
side,  the  young  dare-devil  drove  straight  onward,  the 
bullets  nipping  the  bunch  grass  and  kicking  up  the 
dust  under  his  racer's  flying  feet,  yet  mercifully  whiz 
zing  by  him.  Running  the  gauntlet  of  more  than  half 
the  length  of  the  village,  the  little  rascal  darted,  grin 
ning,  through  the  cheering  skirmish  line,  and  tumbled 
to  his  feet  before  his  beloved  chief. 

"  Captain  Truman's  compliments,  sir,  and  he'll  re 
join  you  at  the  timber,"  was  his  message,  delivered 
while  his  quivering  horse  stood  flicking  his  long  tail  at 
a  red  seam  in  his  silky  coat  where  one  bullet  at  least 
had  scored  its  way,  and  Cranston  bade  him  take  his 
horse — and  no  more  such  fool  chances — and  get  under 
cover  straightway. 

But  now  in  falling  back  the  skirmish  line  had  made 
an  irregular  half  wheel  to  the  southward  with  a  flying 
pivot  toward  the  village,  and  the  Indians  were  darting 


UNDER  FIRE.  437 

or  crawling  out  south  of  the  tepees  so  as  to  get  an  en 
filading  fire  on  the  line.  Cranston's  quick  eyes  saw 
the  danger  and  warned  his  right  skirmishers.  "  Back 
there  !  Fall  back,  you  men  !  Kim  for  it !"  he  shouted ; 
and  to  the  jeering  rage  of  the  Indians  the  run  began, 
the  men  halting  and  refacing  the  village  as  soon  as 
beyond  danger  of  flank  fire,  and  then  came  still  another 
excitement.  Even  while  falling  steadily  back,  with 
wary  eyes  on  the  smoking  lodge  lines,  the  men  at  the 
right  became  suddenly  aware  of  a  rush  of  several  In 
dians  to  the  point  where  the  troop  had  re-formed  after 
its  initial  charge.  "  They're  making  for  the  timber," 
was  the  first  cry,  for  a  few  scattered,  stunted  trees  grew 
along  the  low  ridge.  Then  came  a  yell  from  the  rear, 
from  the  sergeant  in  charge  of  the  led  horses. 

"  It's  one  of  our  men  lying  there  wounded.  For 
God's  sake  save  him  !"  and  that  was  enough.  Every 
carbine  along  the  line  was  brought  to  bear  on  the 
stooping,  crouching,  scurrying  warriors  who  had  ven 
tured  so  far  out  from  the  sheltering  tepees.  Obedient 
to  Davies's  order,  Brannan  and  two  or  three  men  in 
saddle  left  the  wounded  to  take  care  of  themselves,  and 
spurred  headlong  across  the  prairie  to  the  scene,  and 
Cranston,  catching  sight  of  the  affair  at  the  same  instant, 
waved  his  cap  in  eager  signal,  while  his  voice,  now 
hoarse  and  choked,  could  hardly  be  heard  in  the  order 
"  By  the  right  flank."  Truman's  column  of  fours, 
reappearing  at  the  instant  at  the  north,  but  well  to  the 
westward  of  the  village,  could  not  imagine  what  that 
distant  manoeuvre  meant,  but  it  was  no  time  to  ask 
questions.  "  Gallop"  was  the  order,  and  down  they 
came. 

37* 


438  UNDER  FIRE. 

And  so  it  happened  that  barely  twenty  minutes  after 
the  first  shot  was  fired  the  comrade  troops  of  the 
Eleventh  were  onee  more  united,  and,  facing  nearly 
north,  were  in  furious  fight  with  an  overwhelming  force 
of  Indians,  while  Chrome,  turning  deaf  ear  to  Sanders's 
supplications,  was  vainly  striving  to  round  up  a  gallop 
ing  herd  of  several  hundred  ponies  full  three  miles 
away.  Picking  up  the  body  of  Sergeant  Grant,  saved 
from  scalping  and  mutilation  by  the  dash  of  Brannan 
and  his  squad,  "  C"  Troop  was  once  more  wearily 
retiring  toward  the  timber  along  the  Wakon,  and 
Truman  deploying  his  dismounted  skirmishers  to  their 
relief. 

And  then,  as  the  horses  were  huddled  at  last  under 
the  bank,  and  the  wounded  were  tenderly  lowered  to 
the  shade  of  the  willows,  and  the  dead,  with  soldier 
reverence,  laid,  blanket  covered,  under  a  spreading 
tree,  the  captains  met  to  compare  notes  and  sum  up  the 
losses.  Grave  indeed  were  their  faces,  for  two  of  the 
best  sergeants  were  killed  as  well  as  five  veteran 
troopers,  and  nearly  a  dozen  were  more  or  less  severely 
wounded.  Davies,  unscarred  by  bullet,  lay  faint  from 
loss  of  blood,  and  dizzy  and  dazed  from  the  blow  from 
his  horse's  hoof.  The  knife  wound,  Red  Dog's  treach 
erous  work,  had  reopened  as  a  result  of  his  violent 
throw  to  earth,  and  there  was  no  surgeon  nearer  than 
Chrome's  battalion,  now  out  of  sight  far  up  the  Ska. 
"  Thank  God  !  they've  got  few  ponies  left,"  said  Crans 
ton,  fervently.  "  We  can  hold  them  here  until  help 
comes." 

And  help  was  coming,  hard  and  fast, — harder  and 
faster  than  Cranston  dreamed,  but  not  to  them.  Within 


UNDER   FIRE.  439 

the  next  quarter  hour,  greeted  by  frantic  acclamations 
from  the  hostile  village,  there  rode  into  view  on  the 
opposite  bluff,  and  came  shouting  their  war-song, 
brandishing  feathered  lance  or  gleaming  rifle,  more 
than  a  hundred  red  warriors, — Ogallallas,  Brules,  Min- 
neconjous  all,  with  Red  Dog  himself,  escaped  from 
durance  at  the  agency,  madly  revelling  in  their  midst. 


CHAPTER    XXXI. 

IT  was  barely  sunrise  when  Chrome's  battalion  struck 
the  hostile  camp  this  hot  June  day,  and  two  hours 
later  the  situation  was  comfortless  enough — for  the 
strikers.  Hampered  with  their  wounded  and  having 
lost  a  dozen  horses  killed,  the  two  troops  of  the 
Eleventh  on  whom  had  devolved  the  harsher  share  of 
the  work  had  been  compelled  to  halt  in  the  timber  and 
stand  off  the  now  exultant  Indians.  With  a  hundred 
mounted  warriors  at  his  back  and  as  many  more  afoot 
in  the  village,  Red  Dog  promptly  took  the  offensive, 
sent  his  yelling  braves  in  big  circle  all  around  the 
clump  of  timber  in  which  Truman  and  Cranston  had 
posted  their  men,  cut  off  communication  with  Chrome's 
party,  now  "doing  herd  guard  duty  half  a  dozen  miles 
up  the  Ska,"  as  some  of  Cranston's  men  derisively  said, 
and  then,  little  by  little,  established  the  dismounted 
braves  in  every  hollow,  behind  every  little  ridge  or 
mound,  and  soon  had  a  complete  circle  of  fire  all  about 
the  wearied  little  force.  As  senior  officer,  Captain 


440  UNDER  FIRE. 

Truman  was  now  in  command  of  the  detachment,  but 
between  him  and  Cranston  there  was  a  bond  of  cordial 
esteem  and  comradeship,  and  the  command  was  purely 
a  matter  of  form.  Each  had  had  long  years  of  ex 
perience  in  frontier  warfare,  each  knew  just  what  had 
to  be  done,  and  neither  regarded  the  situation  as  either 
desperate  or  particularly  dangerous.  It  would  have 
been  an  easy  matter  to  cut  their  way  out  anywhere  but 
for  the  helpless  wounded,  who  would  be  butchered  to  a 
man  if  left  behind.  Here  in  the  timber,  with  water 
in  abundance,  and  comparative  shelter  for  the  disabled 
men  and  for  the  horses  under  the  banks,  they  could 
remain  until  relief  should  reach  them.  This  with 
Chrome's  two  troops  not  very  far  away  and  their  own 
old  colonel,  with  half  the  regiment,  somewhere  over  in 
the  hills  to  the  southwest,  they  felt  very  well  assured 
ought  to  be  only  a  matter  of  a  few  hours.  "It  was 
big  luck,"  said  Truman,  "  that  our  little  pack-train  got 
in  when  it  did.  Ten  minutes  later  and  they'd  have 
been  cut  off  and  massacred." 

But  the  further  advantage  lay  with  the  Indians  that 
they  just  knew  exactly  where  Chrome  was  and  Tintop, 
too,  and  knew  that  neither  one  was  making  the  first  effort 
to  relieve  his  surrounded  comrades,  Tintop  because  he 
was  twenty  miles  away  and  had  no  knowledge  of  what 
was  going  on  at  the  mouth  of  the  Spirit  River,  and 
Chrome  because  he  was  utterly  rattled  by  the  mounted 
warriors  now  beginning  to  appear  in  increasing  num 
bers  around  him.  He  had  sustained  no  loss  to  speak 
of.  None  of  his  men  had  been  hit.  Only  two  horses  had 
been  struck  by  their  long-range  fire.  He  was,  to  use 
his  own  words,  "  Really  provoked  at  Truman  and 


UNDER  FIRE.  441 

Cranston.  They  might  know  he  needed  them  in  hold 
ing  such  a  big  herd  of  ponies."  Poor  Sanders  was  in  a 
miserable  state  of  anxiety.  He  begged  the  major  to 
let  him  take  ten  men  and  go  back  to  find  them,  or  even  to 
let  him  go  back  alone.  He  pointed  out  that  they  must 
have  had  a  fiarce  fight.  He  had  found  Sergeant  Grant 
dead,  and  heard  the  fierce  battling  in  the  villages 
where  both  troops  were  engaged,  and  then  he  had 
galloped  through  the  dust-cloud  to  Chrome,  narrowly 
escaping  death  as  he  did  so,  and  told  him  the  situation, 
confidently  expecting  that  Chrome  would  turn  the 
ponies  loose,  rally  his  men  and  dash  back  to  the  vil 
lage  ;  but  Chrome  did  nothing  of  the  kind.  "  They 
should  have  come  to  me,"  he  said.  "  We're  the  ones 
in  need,"  then  sent  him  with  an  order  to  Canker,  who, 
out  on  the  right  flank,  was  making  the  morning  blue  with 
blasphemy,  and  Sanders  poured  his  tale  into  Canker's 
ears,  and  begged  him  to  come  and  make  Chrome  un 
derstand  the  situation,  and  Canker  replied  that  nothing 
short  of  a  pile-driver  could  hammer  an  idea  into  a 
skull  as  thick  as  Chrome's,  and  nothing  short  of  a  blast 
get  anything  out  of  it.  The  man  was  a  born  idiot  and 
had  no  more  idea  how  to  command  cavalry  in  the  field 
than  he,  Canker,  had  of  teaching  Sunday-school.  Oddly 
enough,  many  of  Canker's  contemporaries  said  the  same 
of  him,  but  one  never  knows  and  rarely  suspects  half 
what  one's  brethren  say  or  think  of  him.  The  valley 
was  black  with  ponies,  the  troopers  were  black  with 
dust,  and  a  pall  as  of  night  hung  over  the  herd,  so 
dense  that  the  sun  rays  were  swallowed  up  in  its  depths 
and  gave  but  little  light  below,  and  tears  of  rage  and 
misery  that  started  from  Sanders's  eyes  trickled  down 


442  UNDER  FIRE. 

through  a  sandy  desert  on  each  sun-blistered  cheek. 
He  rode  back  to  his  temporary  chief  just  as  an  Indian 
bullet  had  whizzed  in  front  of  the  major's  nose  and 
made  his  eyes  almost  pop  from  his  head.  "  Don't  you 
see/'  he  urged,  reproachfully,  "  how  very  much  more 
they  are  around  us?  If  Truman  or  Cranston  needed 
help  they  would  have  let  us  know  long  ago." 

After  a  brisk  gallop  of  three  or  four  miles  up  the 
valley  of  the  Ska,  the  troopers  of  the  — th  had  per 
mitted  the  stampeded  ponies  to  take  things  more 
leisurely,  and  so  it  resulted  that  by  six  o'clock  many 
of  their  number  were  stopping  occasionally  to  nibble 
at  the  grass  which  grew  here  luxuriantly,  but  there 
was,  all  the  same,  a  steady,  persistent  movement  of  the 
living  mass, — an  enforced  migration  at  the  rate  of  at 
least  three  miles  an  hour.  Well  out  on  the  foot-hills 
Canker's  troop  had  thrown  its  flankers,  while  the  other 
in  long  skirmish  line,  with  appropriate  reserves,  inter 
posed  between  the  herd  and  possible  Indian  attack  from 
the  north.  The  eastern  banks  of  the  Ska  along  here 
were  high  and  steep,  and  the  stream  flowed  deep  and 
rapid  at  their  base,  so  attack  from  that  quarter  was  not 
to  be  dreaded.  All  the  same,  occasional  warriors  could 
be  seen  along  the  bluff,  scampering  from  point  to  point, 
firing  long-range  chance  shots  at  the  officers  or  men 
distinguishable  through  the  edge  of  the  dust-cloud,  but 
venturing  no  closer.  It  was  Chrome's  idea,  as  he 
frankly  said,  to  keep  moving  south  westward  until 
Tintop's  scouts  should  see  the  huge  column  of  dust, 
and  send  forth  to  meet  and  guide  him  with  his  prizes  to 
the  colonel's  camp.  Every  quarter-hour,  therefore,  was 
taking  him  farther  and  father  away  from  his  corralled 


UNDER  FIRE.  443 

comrades  down-stream,  but  he  refused  to  see  it.  "  Oh, 
they '  11  come  along  all  right,  Sanders,"  he  declared,  as 
he  saw  how  his  adjutant's  eyes  constantly  gazed  back 
beyond  the  dispersed  line  of  skirmishers,  "  and  we'll 
have  a  regular  jubilee  when  we  meet  your  colonel  this 
evening.  Some  day,  perhaps,  you'll  get  a  brevet  for 
this." 

"  Damn  the  brevet !"  groaned  the  youngster.  "  Give 
me  a  sight  of (  C'  and  '  F'  Troops  safe  and  sound,  and 
I'd  rather  have  it  than  any  brevet  in  creation."  Then 
a  brilliant  idea  struck  him.  "  By  the  way,  major,  sup 
pose  they  don't  come  along,  what  will  you  do  for  break 
fast  and  dinner?  They've  got  the  pack-train — unless 
the  Indians  have." 

"  By  heavens,  I  never  thought  of  the  packs.  They 
were  way  behind  when  we  struck  the  village,"  said  the 
major,  whipping  out  his  watch.  "It's  6.30  now. 
Sanders,  I  reckon  you'll  have  to  go  back  and  see  what's 
become  of  them.  Take  six  or  eight  men  from  the  re 
serves  here  and  try  to  rejoin  us  by  eight."  And  glad 
enough  to  slip  out  from  the  shadows  of  that  overhang 
ing  pall,  Sanders  went,  half  a  dozen  Arizona  "jay- 
hawkers"  riding  silently  with  him. 

And  that  was  the  last  Major  Chrome  saw  of  his  bat 
talion  adjutant,  of  the  "  Eleventh"  half  of  his  battalion, 
and  of  all  but  one  of  the  six  jayhawkers  referred  to,  in 
many  a  long  week.  One  of  the  latter  made  his  way 
back  afoot  in  the  course  of  half  an  hour,  saying  his 
horse  was  shot  under  him  in  the  valley,  which  was 
thick  with  Indians,  and  Chrome  looked  yellow-white 
and  a  trifle  undecided.  But  again  the  big  herd  of 
ponies  from  some  unseen  cause  was  in  rapid  motion, 


444  UNDER  FIRE. 

loping  away  southwestward.  All  the  guards  and 
flankers  were  on  the  run,  and  it  was  half  an  hour  be 
fore  things  quieted  down  again,  and  when  eight  o'clock 
came  Canker  sent  in  word  that  there  were  dozens  of 
Indians  on  the  bluffs  ahead  where  the  valley  nar 
rowed,  and  it  would  be  well  to  halt  and  round  up  the 
herd  right  there  and  wait  for  Cranston  and  Truman, 
and  Chrome  so  ordered.  Presently  the  dust-cloud 
began  to  settle,  and  by  and  by,  when  it  floated  slowly 
to  earth  again,  half  a  dozen  at  a  time,  under  cover  of 
their  comrades'  carbines,  the  troopers  ventured  to  the 
stream  to  fill  their  canteens  and  souse  their  grimy 
heads.  There,  peacefully  grazing  again,  were  the 
Indian  ponies  by  the  hundreds  and  their  dusty  guardians 
by  the  score ;  but,  far  as  eye  could  see  down  the  beauti 
ful  valley,  not  a  sign  of  Sanders,  his  party,  his  comrades 
of  the  Eleventh,  or,  worse  than  all,  of  the  pack-train, 
and  Chrome  and  his  people  were  getting  hungry. 

There  were  still  with  him  the  sergeant  and  trum 
peter  who  had  brought  the  despatch  from  Colonel 
Winthrop,  and  to  them  again  did  Chrome  appeal  for 
an  estimate  of  the  probable  distance  and  direction  of 
the  colonel's  camp.  With  an  officer  and  twenty  troop 
ers  as  an  escort  they  rode  to  the  summit  of  the  nearest 
bluff  on  the  western  shore,  and  with  their  field-glasses 
studied  the  landscape  for  miles.  Far  to  the  southwest 
lay  the  placid  valley,  unvexed  now  by  sign  of  hostile 
force  of  any  kind,  and  the  sergeant  indicated,  some 
fifteen  miles  away,  the  butte  near  which  they  made  their 
crossing  of  the  stream  the  previous  day.  Far  to  the 
west  and  northwest  rolled  a  wild,  tumbling  sea  of 
prairie  upland,  wave  after  wave  of  gray-green  earth, 


UNDER  FIRE.  445 

spanned  at  the  horizon  by  the  black,  pine-covered 
range  of  the  Medicine  Hills,  pierced  nearly  due  west 
from  them  by  the  deep  slit  the  sergeant  said  was 
Slaughter  Cove.  To  the  nortlnvest  they  could  trace 
the  general  course  of  the  Wakon  valley,  though  the 
stream  itself  was  nowhere  in  view,  even  among  the 
broader  levels  toward  its  mouth,  for  everything  down 
the  Ska  beyond  a  point  three  miles  away  was  hidden 
from  their  sight  by  the  bold  cliffs  that  jutted  out 
almost  into  the  foaming  waters.  "  Somewhere  off 
there,  fifteen  or  twenty  miles/7  said  the  sergeant,  point 
ing  towards  Slaughter  Cove,  "  the  colonel  is  probably 
marching."  He  had  pursued  the  warriors  into  the 
hills  after  their  heavy  fight,  and  wouldn't  let  up  on 
them  till  he  ran  them  back  to  the  agency,  but  the  camp 
where  he  had  left  his  wounded,  his  wagons,  and  sup 
plies  and  their  guard  couldn't  be  more  than  twenty 
miles  farther  up  the  valley.  Of  the  Indian  village 
they  had  attacked  at  sunrise  nothing  could  be  seen. 
Eastward  and  south  westward  the  opposite  bluffs  cut 
off  the  view,  and  such  Indians  as  watched  them  did 
so  from  the  concealment  of  the  ridges  and  ravines. 
Chrome's  triumphant  rejoicing  of  the  early  day  was 
rapidly  giving  place  to  uneasiness.  In  the  absence  of 
rations  even  martial  fame  is  an  empty  thing.  It  was  a 
bitter  pill  to  have  to  go  down  and  consult  with  Canker, 
but  he  did  not  know  what  else  to  do.  Noon  found 
him,  watched  by  the  lurking  Indians  among  the 
bluffs,  still  guarding  his  captured  herd  and  waiting  for 
Sanders  to  come  along  with  the  pack-train.  But  there 
was  no  dinner  for  Chrome's  command  that  day,  and, 
by  nightfall,  even  the  ponies  were  gone. 


446  UNDER  FIRE. 

Barely  two  hours  after  the  triumphant  appearance 
of  Red  Dog  and  his  reinforcements  on  the  scene  of  the 
morning's  fight,  Truman  and  Cranston,  making  the 
rounds  together,  came  upon  Davies  among  the  rifle- 
pits  on  the  north  front,  instead  of  resting  with  the 
wounded  under  the  banks.  He  was  still  pallid  and 
ill,  but,  having  dressed  and  bandaged  his  wound  and 
had  a  refreshing  dip  in  the  stream,  he  had  made  his 
way  out  among  the  men.  He  shook  his  head  gravely 
in  answer  to  Truman's  suggestion  that  he  ought  to 
be  lying  down.  "We  are  lying  down  all  around 
here,  sir,"  he  said,  "  and  I  can  get  more  rest  out  here 
than  under  the  banks." 

But  Truman  did  not  know  that,  weak  as  he  was, 
the  Parson  was  dividing  his  time  between  the  wounded 
and  the  effectives,  ministering  to  the  one  and  caution 
ing  the  other,  for  the  latter  could  not  always  resist  the 
temptation  to  fire  at  such  Indians  as  appeared  in  view 
within  five  or  six  hundred  yards,  and  ammunition 
might  be  scarce  before  the  siege  was  ended.  Grimly, 
but  without  uneasiness,  the  command  watched  Red 
Dog's  scientific  manoeuvres  in  his  "surround,"  the 
mounted  warriors  being  gradually  replaced,  except  on 
the  open  prairie,  by  the  bereaved  villagers.  "  Oh,  we 
can  stand  off  double  their  force  easily,"  was  the  confi 
dent  saying  of  the  old  hands.  "  We  have  food,  water, 
ammunition,  and  a  smart  chance  for  more  fighting,"  so 
what  more  could  soldier  ask  ?  There  was  even  jollity 
in  the  little  command,  despite  the  losses  of  the  early 
morning.  There  was  keen  and  lively  interest  in  Red 
Dog's  movements  when,  by  nine  o'clock,  it  Avas  seen 
that  he  was  calling  most  of  the  mounted  warriors 


UNDER  FIRE.  447 

around  him  and  could  be  heard  haranguing  them  at 
the  farther  end  of  the  village.  None  of  the  lodges 
had  been  taken  down, — there  were  no  ponies  to  haul 
them  away, — but  those  nearest  the  southern  end  were 
now  deserted  of  women  and  children  and  used  only  as 
shelter  for  a  few  lurking  braves.  Presently  on  every 
side  the  Indian  prowlers  opened  sharp  fire  on  the 
troops,  a  long-range  and  hap-hazard  fusillade,  for  what 
with  logs  and  earth,  sand,  trees,  and  river-banks  and 
little  wooded  isles,  the  defence  was  well  covered,  only 
some  of  the  horses  being  where  they  could  be  plainly 
seen.  The  bullets  came  zipping  overhead  or  spitting 
vengefully  into  the  sand,  doing  little  harm,  yet  teach 
ing  the  troopers  to  lie  low ;  and  then  in  the  midst  of 
it  all  Red  Dog  rode  magnificently  away  from  the  north 
end  of  the  village,  across  the  open  prairie,  heading  for 
some  point  far  up  the  valley  of  the  Wakon,  and  sixty 
braves  rode  valiantly  at  his  back.  He  was  a  good 
half-mile  away  from  the  defence,  but  the  troopers  let 
drive  a  few  shots,  "  for  old  acquaintance'  sake,"  as  one 
of  them  expressed  it,  but  without  disturbing  the  pomp 
and  dignity  of  the  procession.  It  was  soon  out  of 
sight,  and  then  the  encircling  fire  slackened.  "  Now, 
what  on  earth  are  they  up  to  ?"  was  the  question. 

And  in  less  than  an  hour  after  his  disappearance 
there  came  new  excitement,  and  the  men  set  up  a  cheer. 
Sharp  firing  was  heard  toward  the  south.  What 
could  it  mean  but  that  their  comrades  of  the  — th 
were  fighting  their  way  back  to  join  them  ?  Then  four 
or  five  horsemen  appeared  along  the  southward  slopes, 
darting  and  dashing  about  as  only  Indians  ride,  evi 
dently  firing  at  something  between  them  and  the  Ska, 


448  UNDER  FIRE. 

and  Truman  ordered  a  platoon  to  mount  and  drive 
away  the  Indians  on  that  front  so  as  to  open  a  road 
for  the  new-comers  to  enter.  This  was  accomplished 
with  little  loss,  for  the  Indians  broke  from  before  the 
spirited  dash,  but  rallied,  of  course,  far  out  on  the 
flanks,  and  again  poured  in  their  rapid  fire  from  their 
repeating  rifles,  and  then  after  a  while  the  troops  could 
be  seen  slowly  retiring,  firing  as  they  fell  back,  some 
afoot  now,  and  some  leading  and  supporting  in  saddle 
others  who  were  evidently  wounded,  and  finally,  as 
these  latter  came  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the 
rifle-pits,  the  cry  went  up  that  it  was  Lieutenant  San 
ders  and  some  of  the  — th,  and  so  it  proved.  Four 
more  wounded  to  care  for,  and  Sanders,  faint  and 
heart-sick,  among  them. 

"  I  tried  to  get  old  Chrome  to  drop  that  herd  and 
come  back  to  you,"  he  moaned,  "  but  it  was  useless. 
He  wouldn't  have  let  me  come — only  to  get  him  some 
thing  to  eat.  Damn  this  having  to  fight  Indians 
under  office  soldiers  anyhow  !"  And  with  this  pithy 
protest  on  his  blue  lips  the  little  bantam  fainted 
away. 

Then  Chrome  wasn't  coming.  Truman  looked  grave 
and  Cranston  angry.  "  No  matter.  We  can  lick  them 
endwise  by  staying  just  where  we  are,"  he  said.  "  Re 
lief  is  bound  to  come  to-night." 

Later  that  afternoon,  under  the  shadows  of  the 
willows,  there  gathered  a  little  group,  perhaps  a  score 
of  officers  and  men,  all  who  could  be  spared  from  their 
stations  in  the  rifle-pits,  listening  to  the  solemn  tones 
of  one  of  their  number  reading  the  service  for  the 
burial  of  the  dead.  Never  did  Cranston  take  the  field 


UNDER  FIRE.  449 

without  Margaret's  stowing  in  the  corner  of  his  saddle 
bag  a  little  prayer-book  of  her  church,  and  this  the 
captain  had  handed  silently  to  Davies.  Side  by  side 
the  forms  of  the  two  sergeants  and  their  comrade 
troopers  were  laid  in  the  sandy  pit.  Reverently  the 
bearded,  war-worn  men  uncovered  and  stood  with 
drooping  heads  while  their  grave  young  officer  read 
the  solemn  words.  Here  and  there  along  the  big 
circle  of  their  surrounding  foe  the  faint  distant  crack 
of  the  rifle  punctuated  the  sentences  as  they  fell  from 
soldier  lips,  and  every  moment  a  bullet  whistled  over 
head.  Somewhere  down  the  valley,  borne  on  the 
wings  of  the  breeze,  the  wail  of  Indian  women  mourn 
ing  their  braves  slain  in  the  earlier  battle  echoed  and 
almost  overwhelmed  the  solitary  voice  that  rose  in 
soldier  tribute  to  the  soldier  dead.  Then  with  one 
brief,  fervent  prayer,  the  solemnly  murmured  "  Amen," 
carving  no  line,  raising  no  stone,  but  tamping  deep  and 
heavy  the  earth  upon  their  blanket-shrouded  forms, 
without  the  trooper  volleys,  with  only  the  faint  soft 
winding  of  the  trooper's  last  earthly  trumpet-call  sing 
ing  "  lights  out"  to  sadly  listening  ears,  the  little  group 
dispersed,  each  man  going  to  his  post. 

An  hour  later  still  and  the  bluffs  were  throwing 
long  shadows  across  the  valley,  and  the  crack  of  In 
dian  rifles  and  occasional  loud  bark  of  the  carbine 
close  at  hand  seemed  growing  more  frequent,  and 
watchers  at  the  outskirts  became  conscious  of  in 
creasing  excitement  among  the  warriors  up  the  valley 
to  the  west  as  well  as  over  to  the  south,  and  listening 
men,  laying  their  ears  to  earth,  declared  that  there  was 
tremor  and  vibration,  and  dull  distant  thunder  of 
dd  38* 


450  UNDER  FIRE. 

myriad  hoofs,  and  over  in  the  village  there  was  hurry 
ing  to  and  fro  and  growing  clamor  of  squaws  and 
children,  and  dusky  women  could  be  seen  clutching 
their  little  ones  and  speeding  away  towards  the  hills 
down-stream,  while  others  began  rapidly  tearing-  down 
the  painted  lodges  of  hide  or  cloth,  and  such  Indians 
as  had  no  mount,  but  were  skulking  under  the  banks 
or  among  the  bluffs  across  the  stream,  could  be  seen 
leaping  and  crouching  and  racing  back  toward  the 
village,  and  presently  there  went  up  a  shout  from  the 
lookouts  towards  the  upper  Ska:  "Big  dust-cloud 
coming.  Must  be  the  pony  herd  again  1"  And  men 
began  springing  to  their  feet  and  scrambling  out  of 
their  shelters,  and  staring  around  them  a"nd  waving 
their  hats  and  shouting  congratulation  and  encourage 
ment,  and  ducking  suddenly  as  more  bullets  came 
whistling  in,  and  from  a  low  rumble  the  sound  rose  to 
distant  thunder,  and  from  that  to  nearer  uproar,  and 
Truman  and  Cranston  made  a  rush  for  their  own 
herds,  ordering  the  men  to  side  line  and  hopple  in 
stantly,  for  the  surviving  horses  were  excitedly  sniff 
ing  tho  air,  pawing  and  snorting,  and  then  there  hove 
in  sight  up  the  valley  the  wiry  leaders  of  the  herd, 
galloping  wearily,  behind  them  a  dull,  dust-hidden, 
laboring  mass,  the  main  body  of  the  Indian  prizes 
swept  away  at  sunrise.  But  who  and  what  were 
these  darting  along  the  flanks  of  the  coming  host, 
lashing  furiously  in  and  out,  ever  guiding,  controlling, 
commanding  even  while  hurrying  on?  No  blue- 
shirtcd,  si  ouch- hatted,  broad-belted  troopers  these ! 
No  cheering  comrades  of  the  stalwart  — th,  but  in 
their  stead  few,  but  far  more  skilful,  the  most  accom- 


UNDER  FIRE.  451 

plished  herdsmen  in  all  creation, — Indians  by  the 
dozen.  And  then  at  last,  amid  the  yell  and  clamor 
and  shot  and  shout  and  furious  rush  of  riderless  steeds, 
came  explanation  of  the  mysterious  foray  up  the  Spirit 
valley.  Circling  far  to  the  west  and  south,  riding  like 
the  wind  when  once  well  out  of  sight  of  watching  foes, 
the  Ogallallas  had  swung  around  between  the  Ska  and 
Winthrop's  distant  column,  threaded  ravines  and  de 
pressions  well  known  to  them  from  boyish  days,  and 
finally  creeping  behind  the  curtaining  bluffs  into  full 
view  of  the  great  herd  drowsily  nibbling  in  the  broad, 
sunny  valley,  had  burst  with  maddening  yell  and 
waving  blankets  and  banging  rifles,  with  sudden  fury 
from  their  covert,  tearing  by  the  weary  pickets,  stam 
peding  their  horses,  and  so  had  gone  thundering  down 
upon  the  startled  herd  and,  skilfully  encircling  it  from 
the  south,  reckless  of  rallying  cry  and  rapid  shot  from 
Canker's  men,  had  sent  the  whole  pack,  with  many  a 
cavalry  charger  too,  whirling  before  them  in  wild 
triumph  down  the  echoing  valley,  back  to  the  waiting 
village  whence  they  came.  "  Red  Dog  versus  Chrome 
Yaller,"  wailed  little  Sanders  from  his  bed  of  leaves. 
"Who  wouldn't  have  bet  on  the  bay?" 

Vain  the  major's  valiant  effort  to  mount  and  follow. 
Forty  at  least  of  his  horses  wrere  swept  away  in  the 
rush,  his  own  among  them  ;  vain  long-range  shots  and 
Canker's  vivid  blasphemy.  Black  in  the  face  with  rage, 
he  mounted  such  men  as  had  managed  to  restrain  their 
horses  and  went  charging  after,  leaving  Chrome  to  the 
care  of  his  fellows.  Vain  the  rapid  and  telling  fire 
opened  upon  herd  and  herders  by  Truman's  men  as 
they  came  within  range.  Down  went  two  or  three 


452  UNDER  FIRE. 

yelling,  painted  warriors,  down  a  dozen  ponies  here 
and  there,  but  on  went  the  leaders,  plunging  breast- 
deep  into  the  stream,  and,  followed  by  the  whole  mass, 
forded  the  Wakon  in  a  flood  of  foam  and  splash  and 
spray,  losing  only  a  trivial  few  in  the  glorious  effort, 
and  then,  sweeping  well  around  the  rifle-pits  of  the 
command,  were  welcomed  with  mad  rejoicing  and  ac 
claim  in  the  heart  of  the  thronging  village. 

Instantly  now  did  they  send  forward  their  own 
skirmish  line, — scores  of  Indians  crawling,  snake-like, 
through  the  grass,  and  from  all  sides  pouring  rapid  fire 
in  on  Cranston's  front  to  keep  him  and  his  fellows 
from  attempting  to  mount  or  attack,  which,  indeed, 
would  have  been  a  hopeless  effort.  The  timber  rang 
with  the  fierce  volleying,  and  in  the  excitement  and  ex 
posure  that  resulted  four  more  of  the  little  command 
were  shot,  Truman  himself  receiving  a  painful  wound 
in  the  side.  For  half  an  hour  there  was  yell  and 
clamor  and  furious  crash  of  firearms,  but  all  this  time 
the  lodges  were  rapidly  disappearing,  the  Indian  house 
holds  were  piling  their  goods  and  chattels,  their  babies, 
the  old  and  the  wounded  and  the  helpless,  even  their 
dead,  on  travois  and  drag  of  lodge-poles,  and  then, 
guided  by  old  chiefs,  whole  families  were  flitting  away 
down  the  Ska,  and  finally,  as  darkness  lowered  on  the 
valley,  and  the  last  lodge  was  down  and  gone,  and  the 
last  warriors  drew  away  from  their  front,  and  silence 
and  peace  settled  down  upon  the  exhausted  command, 
Cranston,  laying  his  broad  hand  on  Davies's  shoulder, 
looked  into  his  tired  eyes  with  a  world  of  soldier  trust 
and  admiration  in  his  own,  and  said,  "  If  there  was 
such  a  thing  with  us  as  promoting  a  man  on  the 


UXDER  FIRE.  453 

battlefield,  my  lad,  this  day's  work  would  win  it  for 
you." 

And  before  the  other  could  answer,  far  up  the  val 
ley  of  the  Wakon  hailed  a  trumpet  call.  Over  from 
the  bluffs  across  the  stream  another  answered,  and 
man  after  man  sprang  from  his  blanket  to  give  a  wel 
come  cheer.  "  We  might  have  known  those  beggars 
would  have  been  in  no  such  hurry  to  get  away,",  said 
Truman,  faintiy,  "but  for  old  Tintop's  coming  with 
the  whole  command." 


CHAPTER    XXXII. 

THEY  were  discussing  matters  a  week  later  at  eld 
Fort  Scott,  where  two  little  companies  of  the  Fortieth 
kept  watch  and  ward  over  the  women  and  children  of 
their  many  comrades  in  the  field.  Barely  mid-June 
now,  yet  how  all  plans  and  projects  for  the  summer 
had  been  changed.  Guarded  by  Chrome's  "  infantry," 
as  his  unhorsed  troopers  were  jocularly  described,  most 
of  the  wounded  were  being  carried  by  short  stages  into 
Pawnee  Station,  where  a  field  hospital  had  been  estab 
lished.  Truman  and  Sanders  were  with  these,  but 
Winthrop,  assuming  command  of  all  the  cavalry  that 
was  available  at  the  forks,  had  gone  on  in  pursuit  of 
Red  Dog's  renegade  band.  With  him  were  Cranston 
and  Davies ;  with  him,  too,  were  Hay  and  Hastings. 
Only  one  officer  of  the  Eleventh  remained  at  Scott, 
the  captain  of  "A"  Troop,  iu  arrest  awaiting  trial. 
It  was  a  time  of  sore  anxiety  to  wives  and  children,  to 


454  UNDER  FIRE. 

some  two  or  three  sweethearts  who  had  happened  there, 
and  they  showed  it  plainly.  It  was  a  time  of  strange 
suspense  and  trouble  to  Captain  Devers,  but  he  hid 
it  well.  Few  men  could  better  have  portrayed  the 
chafing,  indignant  soldier,  robbed  of  the  right  to  lead 
his  men  to  battle,  than  did  Devers  when  his  comrades 
took  the  field.  Hastings  as  first  lieutenant  went  in 
command  of  "A"  Troop,  but  Devers  had  importuned 
head-quarters  with  letters  and  telegrams  imploring  to 
be  permitted  to  accompany  the  column.  He  asked  for 
only  temporary  release  from  arrest.  He  courted — he 
demanded  the  fullest  investigation  of  his  every  act. 
He  longed  to  meet  his  accusers — his  defamers,  rather, 
and  overthrow  them  before  a  jury  of  his  peers,  but,  as 
the  court  could  not  proceed  now  until  the  campaign 
was  over,  why  hold  him  chafing  here  ?  It  was  all  capi 
tal,  it  was  even  touching,  but  it  "  did  not  work."  The 
general  himself  was  far  away  in  the  distant  Big  Horn ; 
his  adjutant-general  could  not  act,  and  the  lieutenant- 
general  in  Chicago  would  not.  Then,  as  Devers  had 
been  in  close  arrest  much  over  seven  days,  he  demanded 
"extended  limits,"  which  were  readily  accorded  him. 
When  "  A"  Troop  marched  away  its  captain's  only 
solace  had  been  a  long,  closeted  conference  with  Ser 
geant  Hauey,  who,  as  a  consequence,  had  to  gallop 
many  a  mile  to  overtake  the  troop. 

The  news  of  Bed  Dog's  escape  and  the  bolt  of  the 
Ogallallas  from  McPhaiPs  bailiwick  created  consterna 
tion  at  Scott.  With  the  cavalry  and  all  but  one  com 
pany  of  White's  battalion  gone  from  the  agency  there 
was  ample  opportunity,  but  it  had  not  been  foreseen. 
Then,  three  days  later,  by  way  of  Pawnee,  came  the 


UNDER  FIRE.  455 

details  of  the  fierce  fighting  on  the  Ska,  of  Truman's 
wound  and  Sanders's,  of  Chrome's  catastrophe,  the 
only  humor  in  the  situation  being  the  contemplation 
of  how  Captain  Canker  must  have  sworn.  Then  came 
hurried  letters,  pencilled  in  the  field,  and  Leonard  him 
self  took  hers  to  Mrs.  Cranston,  and  then  went  in 
search  of  Mrs.  Da  vies,  whom  he  found  at  Darling's 
quarters,  though  Darling  was  not  there.  The  ladies 
were  at  luncheon,  and  the  adjutant  contented  himself 
with  sending  Mira's  missive  in.  There  was  a  letter 
for  Captain  Devers  in  the  well-known  hand  of  Ser 
geant  Hauey.  This  was  sent  him  by  the  orderly. 
There  were  others  for  others,  which  were  duly  deliv 
ered  and  brought  at  least  momentary  joy,  but  Mrs. 
Cranston's  eyes  were  dancing  with  delight  when  Leon 
ard  met  her  half  an  hour  later. 

"  I'm  going  to  Mrs.  Davies,"  she  said.  "  I  want  to 
read  her  what  the  captain  says  of  her  husband's  conduct 
all  through  that  fight  of  Monday  afternoon.  He  says 
he  never  saw  anything  calmer  or  braver  in  his  life." 

"  Yes,  I  remember  our  chaplain's  indulging  in  some 
prognostication  to  that  end,"  said  Leonard,  gravely ; 
"but,  Mrs.  Cranston,  did  you  want  to  see  Mrs. 
Davies?" 

"  Why,  yes,  assuredly." 

"  Well,  she  isn't  home, — I  think  you'll  find  her  at 
Mrs.  Darling's." 

But  Mrs.  Cranston's  humor  changed.  She  decided 
to  wait  and  see  her  later.  She  did  not  care  to  go  to 
Mrs.  Darling's ;  neither,  as  it  transpired,  did  she  care 
to  return  home,  at  least  not  yet  awhile.  There  were 
people  capable  of  believing  of  Mrs.  Cranston  that  she 


456  UNDER  FIRE. 

had  no  especial  interest  in  Mrs.  Davies,  personally, 
and  no  genuine  desire  to  communicate  to  her  the 
tidings  which  Mrs.  Davies,  perhaps,  could  hardly 
appreciate.  Mira  had  not  once  set  foot  within  Mrs. 
Cranston's  door  since  their  return  from  the  canton 
ment,  and  there  had  been  next  to  no  intercourse  be 
tween  them,  and  yet  on  this  almost  joyous  afternoon 
Margaret  had  eagerly  seized  upon  this  pretext  of 
leaving  Agatha  Loomis  alone  with  Mr.  Langston,  who 
had  returned  that  very  day  from  some  investigation  at 
Kearney  and  Cheyenne,  and,  after  half  an  hour  with 
Mr.  Leonard,  had  hastened  to  her  door.  He  was  still 
in  the  parlor  when  the  lady  of  the  house  came  smilingly 
in  an  hour  later, — she  had  been  visiting  Mrs.  Leonard 
the  while, — but  there  was  constraint  in  the  air.  The 
boys  were  out  with  their  ponies.  There  was  no  one 
to  entertain  him  during  her  absence  but  Miss  Loomis, 
and  Miss  Loomis  apparently  must  have  failed,  for 
Langston's  face  had  grown  ten  years  older,  and  the 
moment  Mrs.  Cranston  left  the  room,  on  household 
cares  intent,  he  must  have  taken  his  leave,  for  when 
she  returned  from  an  inspection  of  the  larder  in  order 
to  see  if  it  would  justify  an  invitation  to  stay  and 
dine,  the  parlor  was  empty.  Langston  had  gone  back 
to  Braska,  Miss  Loomis  to  her  room.  I  regret  to 
have  to  record  it  of  Mrs.  Cranston,  but  during  the 
following  week  she  made  more  than  one  effort  to  in 
duce  her  friend  and  kinswoman  to  say  what  had  hap 
pened  to  put  so  summary  a  stop  to  Mr.  Langston's 
visits,  and  that  she  wrote  some  peppery  things  to  her 
husband,  the  captain,  in  summing  up  her  conclusions; 
she  also  looked  some,  and  I  fear  said  some,  to  Miss 


UNDER  FIRE.  457 

Loomis  herself,  for  one  day,  going  suddenly  into 
Agatha's  room,  she  surprised  that  young  lady  in  the 
act  of  packing  her  trunk.  There  ensued  a  scene  which 
neither  cared  in  after-years  to  say  much  about.  There 
were  tears  and  reproaches  on  one  side,  if  not  both,  but 
Agatha's  determination  could  not  be  changed.  She  had 
made  up  her  mind  to  leave  Fort  Scott,  return  to  Chi 
cago,  and  go  she  did, — but  not  without  Mrs.  Cranston. 

In  less  than  ten  days  there  came  a  long  letter  from 
the  captain.  He  and  his  troop  were  destined,  he  said, 
to  long  mouths  of  scouting  in  the  distant  Northwest. 
The  general  had  told  him  as  much.  They  might 
again  have  to  go  to  the  Yellowstone,  and  it  would  be 
November  before  he  could  hope  to  see  the  inside  of  a 
garrison.  "  So,"  said  he,  "  stow  away  the  goods  and 
chattels,  leave  them  with  the  quartermaster,  pack  your 
trunk,  and  take  the  boys  and  Agatha  for  another  visit 
to  the  old  folks  at  home, — who  are  most  eager  to  wel 
come  you."  When  the  Fourth  of  July  came,  the  Crans 
ton  boys,  in  the  added  glory  of  all  their  experiences  at 
the  cantonment,  were  once  more  the  envied  centre  of 
youthful  attention  at  Chicago. 

"  AVe  will  have  no  more  fighting  this  summer,"  said 
he,  "  for  the  Indians  have  scattered,"  and  "  C"  Troop 
did  not ;  but  there  was  abundant  opportunity  for  use 
fulness  and  distinction  for  "  the  prodigy,"  as  Cranston 
now  generally  referred  in  his  home  letters  to  Corporal 
Brannan,  whose  devoted  mother  was  almost  the  first 
to  visit  Margaret  on  her  arrival  and  overwhelm  her 
with  proffers  of  hospitality  and  with  questions  about 
her  boy.  "  C"  Troop  was  detailed  as  escort  to  the 
commanding  general  in  a  long  tour  he  made  to  the 
u  39 


458  UNDER  FIRE. 

Yellowstone  Park,  and  the  prodigy's  letters  to  that 
fond  mother  became  more  and  more  a  cause  for  re 
joicing.  Already  had  she  learned  to  thrill  with  pride 
over  the  accounts  of  his  bravery  and  good  conduct  in 
the  affairs  at  the  agency  and  the  fighting  on  the  Ska, 
but  that,  said  she,  was  only  as  she  knew  he  would 
behave.  From  babyhood  her  boy  had  been  conspicu 
ous  among  his  fellows  for  absolute  fearlessness  and 
desperate  courage,  and  her  memory  was  charged  with 
a  wealth  of  corroborative  detail  which  that  of  his 
fellows  seemed  to  have  lost.  Those  who  were  con 
fidently  appealed  to  were  polite  and  sympathetic,  as 
became  them  when  responding  to  a  social  magnate  of 
such  prominence  and  influence,  but  they  looked  far 
from  confident  and  said  satirical  things  when  once 
away  from  her  presence ;  but  then,  no  one  knows  how 
a  boy  is  going  to  turn  out.  A  few  weeks  and  the  gen 
eral  himself  would  be  home,  and  then,  fresh  from  the 
contemplation  of  the  soldierly  prowess  and  graces  of 
her  son,  what  could  he  do  less  than  have  him  com 
missioned  a  colonel  or  something  and  ordered  in  on 
the  staff,  and  then  what  store  of  fatted  calves  would 
not  be  slaughtered  in  honor  of  this  her  son  who  was 
lost  and  was  found,  and  who  had  returned  to  her 
bringing  his  sheaves  with  him?  If  mother-dreams 
could  but  come  true  all  men  would  live  and  die  im 
maculate,  ennobled,  magnificently  brave,  steadfast,  and 
commanding.  And  far  away  among  the  fastnesses 
of  the  Yellowstone,  living  in  close  communion  with 
nature,  in  a  glorious  round  of  days,  full  of  high 
health,  courage,  and  hope,  with  ambition  fired,  pur 
pose  strengthened,  with  freedom  from  care  or  tempta- 


UNDER  FIRE.  459 

tion,  small  wonder  was  it  if  Corporal  Brannan's  letters 
warranted  all  her  expectations.  But  those  were  the 
halcyon  days  of  cavalry  life,  not  the  typical.  Our 
truest  heroes  are  those  who  bear  with  equanimity  the 
heat  and  burden  of  the  long,  monotonous  round  of 
garrison  life  with  its  petty  tyrannies,  exactions,  exas 
perations,  and  bear  them  without  a  break  or  murmur. 
It  is  a  poor,  poor  soldier  who  cannot  wax  enthusiastic 
on  a  full  stomach — and  a  good  horse — when  serving 
in  the  field. 

But  while  "  C"  Troop  was  doing  escort  duty,  and  its 
captain's  wife  and  little  ones  were  safe  at  home,  "  A" 
Troop,  long  handicapped  by  the  frailties  of  its  com 
mander  and  notorious  for  bad  drill,  was  now  striving 
to  win  a  new  name  under  the  lead  of  Bachelor  Hastings 
and  its  grim  Benedick  second  lieutenant,  whose  fair 
young  bride  could  hardly  be  said  to  be  safe  at  Scott, 
restored  to  the  sympathetic  circle  of  which  Mesdames 
Stone,  Flight,  and  Darling  were  the  guiding  stars.  Old 
Pegleg  seldom  left  his  piazza  now  except  to  go  to  bed 
or  dinner,  and  did  not  much  care  what  was  said  or  done 
around  him  so  long  as  he  was  left  in  peace.  The  post 
surgeon  had  bolstered  him  up  again,  after  a  few  days  in 
bed,  so  that  he  could  sign  papers,  and  while  he  retained 
the  nominal  command  of  the  garrison,  Leonard  was  its 
virtual  and  actual  head,  for  when  July  came  only  one 
detachment  of  the  Fortieth  remained  with  the  band  as 
guard. 

But  that  band  was  a  host  in  itself,  and  why  should 
women  weep  and  mope  and  mourn — with  music  and 
the  dance  so  easily  accessible?  Mrs.  Leonard's  letters 
to  Mrs.  Cranston  became  vividly  interesting  just  about 


460  UNDER  FIRE. 

this  time.  The  hops  were  resumed,  as  well  as  the 
drives  with  friends  in  town.  Mr.  Langston  came  no 
longer,  but  the  bank  and  the  Cattle  Club  poured  forth 
their  homage.  Messrs.  Burtis,  Courtenay,  and  Fowler 
were  out  twice  a  week  at  least.  Then  Mr.  Willett's 
beautiful  team  reappeared,  and  presently  Mr.  Willett 
himself,  and  he  had  brought  still  another  step  from 
the  distant  sea-shore.  It  is  only  the  first  step  that 
counts,  and  Mira  had  taken  that.  Mrs.  Leonard 
thought  she  was  learning  another.  She  danced  as 
beautifully,  dressed  as  divinely,  smiled  as  bewitchingly, 
and  talked  as  inanely  as  ever.  Mr.  Leonard  disap 
proved  of  Mr.  Willett,  but  that  could  not  keep  him 
off  the  post.  When  mid-July  came  Willett  was  there 
almost  every  day.  Twice  he  remained  overnight, 
sleeping  at  the  sutler's.  The  chaplain  had  been  to  talk 
with  Mr.  Leonard,  and  had  tried  to  talk  with  Mira, 
but  she  fled  from  him  in  tears.  What  he  said  to  her 
was  dreadful ! — dreadful !  and  she  should  tell  Mr. 
Davies  about  it  just  as  soon  as  he  returned.  "  I," 
said  the  chaplain,  gravely,  "  shall  not  wait  till  then. 
I  shall  have  to  write  and  tell  him  now." 

Meantime  Captain  Devers  occupied  his  quarters  in 
gloomy  state  and  twice  each  day  patrolled  the  garrison 
limits  with  the  air  of  an  injured  man.  At  other  times 
he  was  writing  long  letters  and  "reading  those  which 
came  to  him  by  every  mail,  but  none  came  now  from 
the  faithful  henchman  Haney,  far  away  on  the  Indian 
trail  with  Tintop's  pursuing  column.  Red  Dog  was 
known  to  be  with  a  remnant  of  his  band  somewhere 
in  the  wild  Bad  Lands  to  the  north  of  the  Ska,  and 
the  last  heard  from  the  colonel  was  that  he,  with  six 


fXDER  FIRE.  461 

troops  of  the  Eleventh,  was  scouring  the  southern 
limit  of  those  dismal  features  of  our  frontier  landscape, 
looking  for  Red  Dog  not  far  to  the  north  of  Antelope 
Springs.  Devers  had  been  truculent  in  his  demand  for 
speedy  trial  up  to  the  third  week  in  July, — up  to  the 
twentieth  of  the  month  in  fact, — but  that  day  brought 
telegraphic  sensation.  Tiutop  had  found  and  struck 
Red  Dog's  camp  at  dawn  on  the  sixteenth,  guided 
thither  by  Thunder  Hawk  himself,  had  struck  hard 
and  heavily,  scattering  not  only  Red  Dog's  people  to 
the  hills  but  destroying  their  village  and  burning  an 
other  that  from  its  foul  condition  seemed  to  have  been 
standing  there  all  winter.  Red  Dog  himself  was  killed, 
fighting  like  a  tiger,  and  "  A"  Troop  under  Hastings 
and  Davies  had  \von  the  distinction  of  heading  the 
charge,  doing  most  of  the  work,  and  losing  more  in 
killed  and  wounded  than  the  others  combined.  Has 
tings  was  shot  through  the  arm  and  crippled.  Cor 
poral  Boyd,  one  of  Devers's  pets,  was  killed,  so  were 
two  troopers,  and  Sergeant  Haney  had  received  what 
was  reported  to  be  a  mortal  wound.  Leaving  a  small 
guard  with  his  invalids  and  invoking  aid  from  Major 
White's  infantry  battalion,  now  garrisoning  the  stockade 
where  the  new  post  was  to  be  built,  Tintop  had  gone 
on  into  the  hills  to  continue  the  work  of  breaking  up 
the  bands,  Davies  commanding  "  A"  Troop,  and  not 
until  the  thirtieth  was  he  heard  from  again. 

But  meantime  Lieutenant  Archer,  of  the  general's 
staff,  who  had  accompanied  the  cavalry  column,  was 
staying  with  the  wounded,  and  had  removed  them  from 
the  smoking,  malodorous  neighborhood  of  the  ruined 
villages,  and  could  be  found,  he  wrote,  with  his  charges 

39* 


462  UNDER  FIRE. 

at  Antelope  Springs.  This  was  news  at  which  Leon 
ard's  eyes  flashed.  It  was  tidings  at  which  Devers 
turned  very  pale.  The  latter  begged  for  authority  to 
go  at  his  own  expense  and  at  once,  and  without  a 
guard,  though  it  involved  five  days  of  buck  board 
driving  or  saddle  work  from  Pawnee  Station,  to  join 
his  wounded  men.  "  Debarred,"  said  he,  "  from  the 
right  to  battle  with  my  men,  I  pray  that  I  may  at 
least  be  permitted  to  minister  to  their  needs, — they 
who  have  so  gloriously  maintained  the  honor  and  credit 
of  their  troop."  But  the  adjutant-general  at  depart 
ment  head-quarters  smiled  sarcastically  and  said  that 
this,  with  others  of  Devers's  letters  and  telegrams, 
deserved  to  be  framed.  August  came,  and  Devers 
again  clamored  to  be  brought  to  trial  or  relieved  from 
arrest,  and  two  evenings  later,  as  he  sat  in  gloomy  state 
upon  his  piazza,  he  was  amazed  to  see  the  adjutant 
turn  grimly  into  the  gate  and  calmly  stand  attention 
before  him. 

"  Captain  Devers,"  said  he,  "  I  am  directed  by  the 
post  commander  to  read  to  you  this  despatch  : 

" '  COMMANDING  OFFICER,  FORT  SCOTT  : 

"  '  Notify  Captain  Devers  that  his  letters  have  been  received, 
and  that  the  court  for  his  trial  will  convene  not  later  than  the 
fifteenth  instant. 

"  '  By  command  of  General .'  " 

And  when  it  is  remembered  that  he  had  persistently 
demanded  prompt  trial  it  is  surprising  that  the  accused 
officer  looked  completely  disconcerted.  The  fact  of 
the  matter  was  Captain  Devers  had  no  idea  that  the 
members  and  witnesses  could  be  brought  together  again 
before  mid-September,  if  then.  That  night  he  sat  up 


UNDER   FIRE.  463 

writing  until  very  late,  and  seat  two  messages  away  by 
wire.  He  was  sorely  troubled  now,  but  could  he  have 
seen  the  group  gathered  solemnly  about  the  dying 
sergeant  far  away  at  Antelope  Springs,  and  heard  his 
faint,  whispered  words  as  Archer  took  them  down, 
Devers  would  have  stood  aghast. 

A  charming  little  informal  dance  was  going  on  at 
the  fort  one  August  evening  about  a  week  later.  The 
Leonards  would  not  attend  them  now,  but  with  five 
such  belles  as  Mesdames  Stone,  Darling,  Davies, 
Flight,  and  Plodder,  to  say  nothing  of  other  lesser 
lights  of  the  garrison  galaxy,  there  was  no  lack  of 
womanly  beauty,  only  the  cavaliers  were  short.  One 
officer,  an  infantry  subaltern,  represented  the  martial 
element,  the  other  men  were  civilians.  Courtenay  had 
brought  out  two  Eastern  friends ;  Burtis  was  on  hand 
as  usual,  and  Willett,  metaphorically,  at  least,  at 
Mira's  feet.  The  poor  girl  actually  lacked  the  sense 
to  see  that  his  infatuation  was  such  that  he  had  no 
eyes,  ears,  or  senses  left  for  any  one  else.  Possibly  she 
gloried  in  his  devotion.  At  all  events  he  danced  with 
her  again  and  again  and  watched  her  jealously  when 
she  danced  with  others.  At  last  towards  eleven  o'clock 
Leonard  suddenly  appeared  at  the  door  of  the  dancing- 
room,  holding  an  open  letter  in  his  hand,  and  beckoned 
to  his  comrade.  "I'll  have  to  trouble  you  to  come 
with  me  to  the  quartermaster's  storehouse,"  said  he. 
"  There  is  a  chest  there  that  must  be  opened  to-night." 
And  though  the  lieutenant  was  surprised,  he,  in  com 
mon  with  everybody  else  in  the  Fortieth,  had  learned 
that  Leonard  rarely  opened  his  mouth  except  to  speak 
by  authority,  and  so  went  with  barely  a  word  to  the 


464  UNDER  FIRE. 

ladies  left  behind,  nor  did  he  return  in  ten  minutes,  as 
he  said  he  would.  The  old  non-commissioned  officer 
left  in  charge  of  the  "A"  company  stores  was  awaiting 
their  coming  with  the  quartermaster  sergeant.  He 
looked  troubled  and  perplexed  when  Leonard  handed 
him  the  key  and  bade  him  unlock  and  open  Sergeant 
Haney's  chest.  "  I  ought  to  have  the  orders  of  the 
company  commander,  sir/7  he  began.  "  I  mean  Cap 
tain  Devers." 

"Captain  Devers  is  not  the  commanding  officer," 
said  Leonard,  quietly.  "  Here  is  the  written  order  of 
the  owner,  Sergeant  Haney,  and  the  instructions  of 
Lieutenant  Hastings.  The  actual  commanding  officer 
of  the  company  is  with  it  in  the  field."  So  no  more 
was  said. 

Down  in  the  depths  of  the  chest,  among  a  roll  of 
clothing,  carefully  covered,  but  just  as  described  in 
Hastings's  letter,  was  found  a  leather  writing-case. 
"Lock  the  chest  again,"  said  Leonard,  as  this  was 
handed  to  him.  "That  is  all  we  mean  to  disturb." 
And  then  he  took  the  case  to  the  office,  while  the  old 
trooper  went  to  tell  his  captain  what  had  happened. 
Morning  brought,  as  was  to  be  expected,  a  letter  from 
Devers  protesting  against  this  new  indignity.  No 
property  of  his  officers  or  men  should  have  been 
opened  save  in  his  presence,  as  he  was  but  temporarily 
suspended  from  his  functions,  and  as  to  him  the  men 
would  look  for  the  security  of  their  effects.  Lying 
in  wait  for  Leonard  as  he  returned  from  the  office, 
Devers  demanded  to  be  told  what  had  been  taken  from 
the  sergeant's  chest,  and  then  went  white  as  chalk 
when  Leonard  calmly  answered,  "Certain  stolen  prop- 


UNDER  FIRE.  465 

erty,  sir,  including  a  map  and  some  written  memoranda 
which  will  be  required  before  the  court-martial  that 
meets  next  week." 

But  this  was  not  all  that  was  found  in  Bran  nan's 
case,  the  lock  of  which  had  long  since  been  forced. 
There  was  a  valuable  gold  watch  presented  to  Chap 
lain  Da  vies  by  the  officers  and  men  of  his  brigade  at 
the  close  of  the  war.  There  were  letters  which  Leon 
ard  barely  glanced  at, — some  silly,  sentimental  trash 
addressed  to  some  one's  darling  Bertie  by  his  devoted 
Mira.  All  this,  opened  in  presence  of  a  regimental 
comrade  and  certified  to  by  him,  was  replaced,  care 
fully  sealed,  and  then  the  case  was  locked  in  the  com 
missary  safe.  "  That  goes  with  me  to  Omaha  Mon 
day  next/'  said  Leonard  to  the  much-mystified  officer, 
"  and  you  may  be  needed  to  corroborate  my  testimony. 
Keep  all  this  to  yourself." 

And,  despite  a  vigorous  cross-questioning,  the  young 
ster  managed  to  hold  his  own  against  even  Captain 
Devers,  whose  suspicions,  however,  were  now  fully 
aroused,  and  who  obtained  permission  from  Colonel 
Stone  to  visit  the  telegraph-office  at  Braska,  and  there 
wired  to  a  legal  friend  in  Omaha  and  to  certain  ad 
dresses  in  Washington,  and  on  Friday  came  telegraphic 
instructions  permitting  Captain  Devers,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  consulting  with  his  counsel,  to  repair  to  Omaha 
at  once,  and  he  took  the  midnight  train  On  Monday, 
as  required,  Leonard  left,  taking  his  prizes  with  him, 
and  on  Wednesday  the  court  met,  with  all  but  two 
members  present.  Colonel  Atherton  inquired  of  the 
judge-advocate  if  he  were  ready  to  proceed  to  business, 
and  that  officer  replied  that  he  was,  but  that  certain 


466  UNDER   FIRE. 

witnesses  were  still  to  arrive  and  the  accused  did  not 
seem  to  be  in  the  building.  A  messenger  to  the  hotel 
brought  back  word  that  the  captain  breakfasted  there 
that  morning,  had  paid  his  bill  and  gone  out,  his  bag 
gage  being  taken  away  by  an  expressman.  This  strange 
news  fluttered  about  from  room  to  room  at  the  head 
quarters  building.  The  members  of  the  court  fidgeted 
in  their  full-dress  uniforms  and  smoked  and  chatted 
and  strolled  about,  calling  on  old  acquaintances,  and  the 
adjutant-general  sent  orderlies  to  and  fro  with  inquiries. 

And  then  came  the  sensation  of  the  year  among 
military  circles  in  the  old  frontier  department.  The 
grave,  dignified,  soldierly  chief  of  staff  appeared  at 
the  court-room  door  with  a  telegraphic  despatch  in  his 
twitching  fingers.  " Gentlemen,"  said  he,  "your  ser 
vices  in  this  case  will  not  be  needed.  The  accused  is 
beyond  our  jurisdiction. " 

There  was  a  moment  of  intense  silence,  a  look  as  of 
awe  on  many  a  face,  then  came  the  question  from  one 
who  knew  not  Devers  : 

"Killed  himself?" 

"  No  !  Worse  than  that, — resigned  under  fire,  and 
got  it  accepted." 

Later  that  day  there  were  shown  to  certain  officers 
some  scraps  and  letters  that  had  been  left  in  the  waste- 
basket  in  Devers's  room  ;  among  them  was  a  telegraphic 
despatch  from  Butte,  Sunday,  repeated  from  Scott  on 
Monday,  apparently  after  Leonard  left.  It  was  to 
this  effect : 


"  Haney  split.     Secure  box.     McGrath  found.     Send  hundred 
at  once." 


UNDER  FIRE.  467 

And  while  detectives  hastened  Butteward  in  quest 
of  its  signer,  Howard,  only  malediction  followed  its 
recipient,  now  speeding  eastward  fast  as  steam  could 
carry  him. 

"  By  heaven  !"  said  Leonard,  in  strange,  unnatural 
excitement,  "the  Eleventh  have  said  all  along  that 
Devers  could  never  be  cornered,  and  I  believe  they're 
right." 

But  on  the  following  morning  the  adjutant's  black 
eyes  glowed  with  even  greater  wrath  and  amaze.  They 
had  gone  to  the  station, — several  of  the  officers, — to 
meet  the  in-coming  train  on  which  certain  of  the  wit 
nesses  were  expected,  and  there  another  despatch  was 
handed,  this  time  to  Leonard  himself.  He  tore  it 
open,  read  it,  and  then,  handing  it  without  a  word  to 
Truman,  turned  bitterly  away. 

And  Truman,  wondering,  read,  looked  dazed  an  in 
stant,  then — understood. 

"  Gone— with  Willett— last  night." 


CHAPTER   XXXIII. 

ALL  manner  of  men  were  gathered  at  the  station  of 
the  Union  Pacific  in  Omaha  that  August  morning. 
Some  of  the  members  of  the  court,  thus  unexpectedly 
absolved  from  a  disagreeable  duty,  had  obtained  brief 
leave  of  absence  and  were  going  to  spend  a  few  days 
in  the  East  before  returning  to  their  commands.  They 
were  there  to  take  the  train.  Others  had  come  to  see 


468  UNDER  FIRE. 

them  off;  others,  like  Truman  and  Leonard,  to  wel 
come  the  coming  witnesses.  Far  up  into  the  fast 
nesses  of  the  Big  Horn  had  gone  the  couriers  from  the 
frontier  forts,  bearing  brief  orders  that  had  come  by 
telegraph,  and  even  Winthrop's  command,  having  an 
almost  idyllic  time  of  it  hunting  and  fishing  in  the 
mountains,  was  required  to  yield  up  some  of  its  officers 
and  men  at  the  beck  of  the  law.  A  long  ride  had 
these  fellows  to  Fetterman  and  thence  over  the  Medi 
cine  Bow  to  Rock  Springs.  Davies  was  of  this  party, 
but  Cranston  and  Corporal  Brannan  had  a  ride  still 
longer.  The  bulk  of  the  army  of  witnesses,  oddly 
enough,  was  marshalled  by  Lieutenant  Archer  at  the 
field  hospital  at  Pawnee,  and  this  distinguished  young 
staff  officer  was  coming  "  with  blood  in  his  eye,"  as 
wrathful  a  man  as  lived  and  swore  in  army  blue  that 
long,  eventful  summer.  To  think  that  he  who  so 
prided  himself  on  plainscraft  should  have  been  so 
utterly  hoodwinked  by  Captain  Differs,  of  all  men, 
was  worse  to  him  than  gall  and  wormwood,  but  he 
came  now  fairly  snapping  with  righteous  indignation, 
fresh  from  another  study  of  the  famous  field  over 
which  he  rode  with  the  last  man  to  part  with  Lieu 
tenant  Davies  the  night  of  the  tragedy  of  Antelope 
Springs, — Devers's  long-missing  sergeant,  McGrath. 

Separated  from  his  young  officer  in  the  gathering 
darkness  by  the  eagerly  searching  Indians,  detected  by 
them  and  shot  through  the  leg,  he  had  taken  refuge  in 
a  ravine  until  dawn,  and  then  the  cries  of  the  coyotes 
had  attracted  him  to  the  scene  of  the  massacre,  and 
the  sight  of  his  mutilated  comrades  had  unmanned 
him  utterly.  Feeling  sure  the  Indians  were  still  in 


UNDER  FIRE.  469 

the  neighborhood,  he  had  determined  that  if  seen  he 
would  adopt  the  plan  told  him  by  an  old  scout  long 
months  before, — that  of  feigning  insanity  and  boldly 
seeking  their  company.  Indians  regard  the  insane  as 
specially  guarded  by  the  Great  Spirit  and  look  upon 
them  with  superstitious  fear,  but  McGrath  little 
dreamed  how  narrow  would  become  the  border  be 
tween  the  real  and  the  feigned.  Fleeing  in  dismay 
from  the  sight  of  his  slaughtered  comrades,  he  had 
followed  the  ravine  to  the  timbered  valley,  lurked 
there  two  days  and  nights  in  constant  fear  and  nervous 
dread  and  suffering,  and  finally  swooned  from  exhaus 
tion.  When  he  waked  with  sudden,  awful  start,  two 
Indian  faces  were  bending  over  him.  Then  he  had 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  foe  at  last. 

But  he  was  in  better  luck  than  he  had  dared  to 
dream.  They  were  of  a  peaceful  band,  wanderers 
from  the  fold  of  Red  Cloud  who  had  sought  the  lower 
valley  for  peace  and  protection.  They  had  a  hunting 
lodge  and  led  him  thither,  and  their  squaws  gave  him 
food  and  ministered  to  him  as  best  they  knew  how  in 
the  mad  fever  that  followed.  McGrath  never  realized 
how  long  he  was  ill,  but  when  he  came  to  himself 
it  was  bitter  cold  and  he  was  living  somehow  among 
these  strange  people, — a  small  village  of  them  in  the 
heart  of  the  Bad  Lands.  Not  for  months  did  he  re 
cover  strength.  Not  until  May  did  he  try  to  ride  or 
walk  beyond  the  limits  of  their  camp.  They  were 
poor ;  they  had  no  spare  ponies,  and  they  made  him 
understand  he  was  many,  many  "sleeps"  from  his 
friends  with  hordes  of  marauding  hostiles  intervening, 
and  so  induced  him  to  remain  with  them  in  hiding 

40 


470  UNDER  FIRE. 

until  the  rebellious  tribes  were  driven  from  the  reser 
vations  and  Eed  Dog  himself  fled  to  their  fastness. 
Then  again  had  McGrath  to  remain  in  hiding,  secreted 
by  his  humble  friends,  and  there  he  lay  when  Win- 
throp's  bugles  sounded  the  charge  and  his  own  old 
troop  came  dashing  in.  He  was  so  worn,  ragged,  and 
changed  that  he  had  difficulty  in  making  even  "A" 
Troop  know  him,  but,  once  they  did,  their  joy  was 
boundless,  for  McGrath  was  a  popular  man,  and  the 
meeting  between  him  and  Da  vies  was  something  long 
to  be  remembered,  for  each  believed  the  other  dead. 
Then,  as  the  wounded  were  led  back  to  the  Ska  and  he 
recovered  strength  and  was  happy  in  seeing  his  Indian 
protectors  lavishly  fed,  clothed,  and  rewarded,  he  began 
to  talk  of  the  events  of  the  campaign  of  the  previous 
summer  and  to  inquire  why  the  captain  was  away  now ; 
and  then  Hastings  and  Archer  took  him  in  hand,  and 
later  poor  stricken  Haney,  conscious  of  the  approach 
ing  end,  begged  to  see  him,  and  then  came  Haney 's 
broken  confession.  No  wonder  Hastings  and  Archer 
were  confident  they  had  Differs  "  done  for'7  now. 

These,  the  wounded  and  convalescent,  were  still  at 
Pawnee  hospital  awaiting  telegraphic  summons  from 
the  judge-advocate,  but  Archer  was  already  on  the 
ground,  and  Cranston  and  Davies  and  others,  reunited, 
presumably,  the  previous  morning  at  Kock  Springs 
Station,  were  due  at  Omaha  by  this  very  train  for 
which  all  hands  were  waiting.  So  was  another  prin 
cipal  witness,  who,  however,  might  decline  to  testify 
because  of  the  danger  of  self-incrimination.  The  de 
tectives  sent  to  Butte  the  previous  day  went  too  late. 
Langston's  trailers  were  ahead  of  them,  and  deserter 


UNDER  FIRE.  471 

Howard,  in  irons,  was  being  forwarded  under  charge 
of  a  corporal  of  infantry  from  Ransom,  arrested  two 
days  before  in  a  restaurant  at  Butte. 

"  Verily,"  said  Truman,  "  there  is  quite  a  batch  of 
interesting  evidence  trundling  over  the  Union  Pacific 
to-day/'  and  this  was  before  he  had  read  that  signifi 
cant  despatch  from  Scott. 

But  when  he  read  and  had  pondered  over  it  a  mo 
ment,  the  captain  suddenly  left  the  company  of  his 
fellows  and  strode  away  after  Leonard,  now  gloomily 
pacing  the  platform  a  dozen  yards  away. 

"  Man  alive  !"  said  he,  "  if  they  left  last  night  what 
could  they  do  but  take  this  train  ?" 

Leonard  nodded,  darkly.  Then  again,  after  a  mo 
ment's  silence,  Truman  spoke. 

"  Could  he  have  been  so  mad,  do  you  think,  as  not 
to  have  thought  of  that, — of  some  one  being  on  that 
train?" 

"  No  one  at  the  fort  knew.  How  was  he  to  suspect 
when  up  to  yesterday  we  all  supposed  Davies  would 
come  down  the  Yellowstone." 

Truman  shuddered.  "  She  ought  to  be  in  now/'  said 
he.  "  Just  think  of  the  tragedy  there  may  have  been." 

The  train  was  late, — half  an  hour  late,  said  the 
official  at  the  train-despatcher's  office.  No,  there 
hadn't  been  any  accident  or  excitement  up  the  road 
that  he'd  heard  of.  He  really  didn't  know  what 
caused  it.  Did  she  reach  and  leave  Braska  on  time? 
Yes,  the  delay  occurred  this  morning  somewhere, — 
began  after  leaving  Kearney. 

Then  there  had  been  no  excitement,  no  tragedy 
farther  up  the  road.  There  was  comfort  in  that,  said 


472  UNDER  FIRE. 

Truman.     But  there  had  been  a  sensation  at  old  Fort 
Scott,  such  as  these  counsellors  little  dreamed  of. 

For  a  brief  time  after  their  return  from  the  canton 
ment  Mrs.  Davies  and  her  new  friend,  Mrs.  Plodder, 
had  kept  house  together.  In  those  days  when  so  many 
of  our  officers  were  almost  constantly  in  the  field,  it 
became  quite  the  thing  for  some  of  the  ladies  left  at 
the  garrisons  to  club  together,  share  expenses,  and 
thereby  economize.  Old  No.  12  was  still  at  Mira's 
service,  but  she  couldn't  bear  the  house,  she  said,  and 
so  the  ladies  moved  their  furniture  into  an  abandoned 
bachelor  den  next  to  Flight's,  and  for  a  few  days  all 
went  merrily.  Then  there  came  a  servants'  squabble, 
and  their  cook  differed  with  Mrs.  Flight's  maid-of-all- 
work,  and,  refusing  arbitration,  was  impudent  to  her 
employers.  Mrs.  Plodder  was  an  Amazon  in  whom 
there  was  no  weakness.  She  discharged  the  cook  and 
sent  her  back  to  Braska.  Then  they  "messed"  with 
Mrs.  Flight,  and  about  this  time  the  hops  began  and 
the  visits  from  town  and  the  drives,  and  Mrs.  Plodder 
presently  conceived  it  to  be  her  duty  to  remonstrate 
with  Mira,  who  wept  and  stormed,  and  after  a  time,  as 
Willett's  visits  began  to  grow  frequent,  Mrs.  Plodder 
said  she  would  not  remain  under  the  same  roof  with 
Mira,  and  moved  over  and  kept  house  with  Mrs. 
Darling.  The  Cranston  household  had  gone  East  some 
time  before  this,  and,  as  Mira  could  not  bear  the  chap 
lain's  worthy  wife,  and  Mrs.  Stone  had  become  es 
tranged,  and  Mrs.  Darling,  with  Mrs.  Plodder,  had 
decided  that  she  was  openly  encouraging  Mr.  Willett's 
devotions  and  told  her  so,  and  as  Mrs.  Leonard  held 
aloof  from  them,  one  and  all,  it  must  be  admitted  that 


I'XDER  FIRE.  473 

the  poor  brainless  child  was  ivst rioted  in  her  choice  of 
friends  and  intimates.  Davies  had  had  but  brief  time 
in  which  to  give  her  instruction?,  and  there  is  no  use 
in  setting  forth  their  purport.  He  asked  Mrs.  Crans 
ton,  if  a  possible  tiling,  to  give  his  wife  the  benefit  of 
her  experience  and  aid  her  in  any  way  Mira  might 
need,  and  Margaret  warmly  assured  him  that  she  was 
ready  at  any  time  and  glad  to  be  of  any  and  every  ser 
vice  to  Mrs.  Davies,  but  even  in  so  saying  she  felt  well 
assured  that  there  was  little  hope  of  being  of  use. 
AVhat  made  the  matter  worse  was  that  this  summer 
Congress  adjourned  without  making  provision  for  the 
pay  of  the  army,  even  while  expecting  it  to  perform 
rather  more  than  its  customary  functions;  but  here 
Cranston  stepped  in  and  insisted  on  placing  at  Mrs. 
Davies's  disposal  a  certain  sum  in  Courtenay's  bank  at 
Braska.  Davies  could  return  it  when  Uncle  Sam  re 
sumed  payment,  and  so  Mira  had  been  provided  with  a 
check -book  and  taught  its  use.  She  was,  at  least,  to 
have  no  financial  anxieties.  The  regiment  had  to  re 
main  long  in  the  field  and  the  Cranstous  went  home, 
as  Davies  expected  and  had  advised  that  Mira  go  with 
them  to  Chicago.  Even  if  her  people  could  not  make 
her  welcome  at  Urbana,  she  could  board  there  with 
former  friends  in  perfect  comfort,  and  be  ready  to  re 
join  him  bv  and  by.  Many  and  many  an  army  wife 
and  mother  had  similarly  to  live  a  Bedouin  life  that 
summer.  One  cavalry  regiment,  the  — th,  for  instance, 
was  scattered  from  Cheyenne  to  Chicago,  facing  riotous 
mobs  one  month  and  chasing  Indians  all  over  the  upper 
Yellowstone  the  next.  One  thing  Davies  firmly  yet 
gently  strove  to  impress  upon  Mira, — that  her  intimates 

40* 


474  UNDER  FIRE. 

at  Scott  were  not  at  all  the  women  with  whom  a  poor 
and  debt-burdened  officer's  wife  should  foregather.  He 
begged  her  to  be  guided  by  Mrs.  Cranston  and  Mrs. 
Leonard,  and  wrote  a  brief  line  to  the  chaplain,  com 
mending  Mira  to  his  care,  and  then  he  had  to  go. 

But  once  back  at  Scott,  where  she  could  sport  the 
lovely  toilets  with  which  her  hopeful  aunt  had  sup 
plied  her,  Mira  went  the  way  of  the  empty-headed. 
Admiration,  adulation  were  to  her  as  the  breath  of 
life.  So  long  as  she  was  perfectly  innocent  of  wrong 
intent  how  could  people — how  dare  people  rebuke 
her?  She  told  Willett  the  horrid  things  Mrs.  Darling, 
Mrs.  Plodder,  and  Mrs.  Stone  were  reported  to  have 
said,  and  he  replied  that  it  was  all  because  they  envied 
her  her  beauty  and  were  jealous  of  the  attentions  she 
won.  She  almost  told  him  what  the  chaplain  said,  but 
that  sent  the  burning  blushes  to  her  forehead,  yet  she 
dreaded  what  the  old  soldier  of  the  cross  might  have 

o 

written  to  her  husband.  She  knew  he  would  surely 
condemn  the  renewal  of  her  association  with  Mr.  Wil 
lett,  but  so  long  as  he  wasn't  there  to  say  so,  and  so 
long  as  she  intended  the  association  to  be  purely  pla- 
tonic,  as  a  rebuke  to  all  who  had  rebuked  her,  she  pro 
posed  to  assume  that  no  objection  existed. 

The  news  that  he  had  been  sent  for  and  was  coming 
in  as  a  witness  in  Captain  Devers's  court  startled  her 
inexpressibly,  despite  her  conscious  rectitude.  She 
told  Willett  that  very  evening,  as  they  were  driving 
slowly  among  the  willow- wooded  islands,  and  he  looked 
imploringly  into  her  eyes,  and  Mrs.  Flight  and  Mr. 
Burtis  on  the  back  seat  could  see  that  he  was  talking 
eagerly,  earnestly,  pleadingly,  and  that  her  eyes  were 


UNDER  FIRE.  475 

downcast,  her  cheeks  aflame,  and  still  they  did  not 
take  alarm.  "She's  too  much  in  love  with  herself 
and  her  own  good  looks  ever  to  do  that  foolish  thing/' 
said  Mrs.  Flight  to  those  who  asked  her  why  she  didn't 
warn  her.  Willett  himself,  so  Burtis  afterwards  de 
clared,  had  said  in  answer  to  some  friendly  words  of 
remonstrance  on  the  Sunday  night  preceding  the  meet 
ing  of  the  court,  that  the  girl  was  as  heartless  and  cold 
as  a  stone.  No  one  need  worry  on  her  account.  It 
was  plain  to  Burtis  that  the  young  fellow  was  well- 
nigh  insane  about  her,  and  he  had  sent  a  letter  ten  days 
before  to  Langston  urging  him  to  come  and  look  after 
his  kinsman  ;  but  Langston  was  far  away  at  the  time 
and  never  knew  that  Willett  had  quit  the  sea-shore  and 
gone  back  to  the  charmer  in  mid-continent, — never 
knew,  indeed  no  one  ever  knew  until  too  late,  that  it 
was  she  herself  who  baited  the  line  that  drew  him 
there. 

There  was  a  gathering  at  the  post  on  Tuesday  even 
ing  and  all  the  few  society  men  were  out  from  Braska. 
The  ladies,  in  their  summer  toilets,  sat  011  the  verandas 
and  told  one  another  and  their  visitors  from  town  how 
dreadful  it  was  to  be  so  long  bereft  of  their  husbands 
and  protectors,  and  Mrs.  Flight  and  Mrs.  Darling  said 
they  wished  with  all  their  hearts  the  court  had  called 
some  witnesses  from  the  infantry.  Surely  they  knew 
as  much  about  the  matter  as  some  of  the  cavalry  who 
had  been  summoned.  There  was  Mrs.  Davies  who 
could  expect  her  husband  within  the  week,  while  it 
might  be  months  before  they  set  eyes  on  theirs.  They 
seemed  to  take  comfort  in  harping  on  this  theme  for 
Willett's  benefit.  He  sat  near  Mira's  side,  as  she  re- 


476  UNDER  FIRE. 

clined  languidly  in  her  wicker  chair,  his  eyes  glowing, 
his  hands  and  lips  twitching  at  times,  listening  and 
occasionally  addressing  low-toned,  eager  words  to  her. 
"  Mr.  Davies  will  have  finished  his  testimony  by 
Thursday  at  the  latest/'  said  Mrs.  Flight,  decisively ; 
"  I  heard  Mrs.  Leonard  say  so  to  the  chaplain  to-day/' 
and  here  she  glanced  meaningly  at  Mira ;  "  so  what's 
to  prevent  his  being  here  early  Friday  morning?  I 
know  I'd  let  no  grass  grow  under  my  feet." 

And  Mira  could  only  say  she  surely  hoped  so,  but 
she  couldn't  tell.  The  last  letter  from  him  was  away 
up  near  the  mouth  of  Powder  River  somewhere,  and 
he  thought  then  they  mightn't  be  home  before  No 
vember  ;  but  she  was  plainly  unwilling  to  discuss  the 
matter,  and  with  evident  relief  took  Willett's  arm 
when  the  musicians  presently  were  heard  tuning  up  at 
the  hop-room. 

But  it  was  noticed  then  how  flushed  and  excited  she 
looked,  how  quickly  she  seemed  to  tire  of  the  dance 
and  went  out  on  the  veranda  for  cooler  air,  and  pres 
ently  they  were  missed  and  were  gone  from  the  room 
the  rest  of  the  evening,  so  that  the  hop  broke  up  early, 
and  the  anxious  women  hurrying  homeward  were  in 
censed  to  find  her  in  a  dark,  vine-covered  corner  of 
the  veranda  of  the  quarters,  Willett  in  close  attend 
ance-.  "  I  didn't  feel  like  dancing,"  was  her  sole  ex 
planation.  "  I  begged  Mr.  Willett  to  go  back  to  you, 
but  he  wouldn't."  And  Burtis,  later,  had  to  shout 
angrily  for  him  before  he  could  get  him  into  the  wagon 
and  off  for  town. 

She  slept  that  night  in  the  room  adjoining  Mrs. 
Flight's,  and  slept  but  little,  said  that  lady  later.  She 


UNDER  FIRE.  47T 

seemed  ablaze  with  nervous  excitement  and  utterly 
uniike  her  usual  self, — placid  and  satisfied  except  when 
subjected  to  reproof.  She  had  gone  thither  right  after 
the  departure  of  the  men  and  shut  her  would-be  mentor 
out.  Mrs.  Flight  afterwards  declared  she  saw  the 
coining  catastrophe  and  was  determined  to  avert  it  if  a 
possible  thing,  but  Mira  said  she  had  a  dreadful  head 
ache  and  wouldn't  talk.  Mrs.  Flight,  considering  that 
she  had  a  duty  to  perform,  began,  however,  from  out 
side.  The  result  was  a  quarrel  and  Mira's  announce 
ment  from  behind  the  door  that  she  would  not  speak 
to  Mrs.  Flight  again.  When  Wednesday  came  she 
refused  to  leave  her  room.  It  had  been  arranged  that 
three  of  the  ladies  were  to  drive  to  town  with  the  sole 
cavalier  left  at  the  post,  a  lieutenant  of  the  Fortieth, 
and  Mira  was  one  of  them,  but  they  supposed  she  had 
abandoned  the  plan.  To  the  surprise  of  everybody 
she  appeared,  satchel  in  hand,  arrayed  in  sober  travel 
ling  garb,  and  asked  the  driver  of  the  ambulance  to 
help  their  servant  bring  out  her  trunk,  and  took  her 
seat  in  the  Concord  while  it  was  being  tossed  into  the 
boot.  It  was  Mrs.  Darling  who  ventured  to  ask  what 
it  meant,  and  Mira  calmly  explained.  She  had  deter 
mined  to  go  and  meet  her  husband  in  Omaha.  They 
were  amazed,  yet  what  could  they  do  or  say  ?  It  was 
after  luncheon-time  and  she  merely  urged  that  they 
should  drive  rapidly  so  as  to  get  her  to  the  bank  be 
fore  it  closed,  and  then  she  left  them,  saying  she  would 
remain  at  the  hotel  at  the  station  until  her  train 
arrived.  It  was  due  soon  after  midnight. 

Before  returning  to  the  post  the  others,  Mrs.  Darling 
and  Mrs.  Plodder,  called  upon  Mira  at  the  hotel,  for 


478  UNDER  FIRE. 

they  were  oppressed  with  strange  fears.  They  strove 
to  remonstrate  with  her,  pointed  out  that  Mr.  Davies 
would  be  with  her  in  three  days.  Mira  said  it  might 
not  be  for  a  week.  Well,  wasn't  it  unusual  for  a  lady 
to  be  going  alone  ?  Not  at  all.  She  would  sleep  all 
the  evening  in  her  room,  and  the  landlord  would  place 
her  in  charge  of  the  conductor.  Surely  Mrs.  Plodder 
had  come  from  Omaha  alone.  That  was  different, 
said  Mrs.  Plodder,  in  rueful  recognition  of  the  fact 
that  a  plain  woman  is  exempted  from  annoyances 
which  a  beauty  has  to  suffer,  yet  would  suffer  indefi 
nitely  rather  than  be  plain.  "  But,  dear  Mrs.  Davies, 
is  it  not  very  expensive  ?"  said  Mrs.  Darling.  "  Not 
when  I  have  passes  all  the  way  to  Chicago,"  said  Mira. 
So  they  had  to  return  to  the  fort  at  dusk,  though  Mrs. 
Plodder  did  suggest  staying  all  night  and  seeing  her 
off.  They  had  not  set  eyes  on  Willett.  They  both 
entertained,  though  neither  expressed,  a  hope  that  he 
was  not  to  be  of  the  party.  They  asked  for  Willett 
casually  when  they  met  Mr.  Burtis.  Burtis  said  with 
perfect  truth  that  he  was  out  at  the  ranch,  that  he  had 
hoped  to  be  here  to  meet  the  ladies,  but  was  called  out 
by  urgent  business. 

It  was  dark,  and  they  were  tired,  hungry,  and 
worried  when  they  got  back  to  the  post,  and  the  lieu 
tenant  on  escort  found  the  ladies  strangely  preoccupied 
and  silent.  The  first  thing  on  reaching  home  was  to 
go  in  search  of  the  chaplain.  As  a  devoted  friend  of 
Mr.  Davies  he  should  be  informed  of  this  odd  freak 
of  Mira's,  and,  if  there  were  any  grounds  for  their 
fears,  there  was  still  time  to  avert  what  would  bring 
such  awful  scandal  about  their  social  circle.  They 


UNDER  FIRE.  479 

assumed  that  they  were  coming  back  with  sensational 
news,  forgetful  of  the  fact  that  garrison  servants  helped 
pack  Mira's  trunk,  and  garrison  eyes  had  seen  it  start 
with  her  for  town.  The  chaplain's  wife  knew  all 
about  it  before  two  o'clock,  and  the  chaplain  would 
have  known  it,  too,  had  he  not  been  long  miles  away 
at  the  death-bed  of  an  old  soldier  turned  cow-boy. 
Not  until  after  the  east-bound  train  was  whistling  far 
down  the  valley  and  the  dawn  was  in  the  sky  did  an 
inkling  reach  him.  Somebody  said  he  thought  the 
least  Mr.  Willett  could  have  done  was  to  come  over 
and  see  how  his  best  "puncher''  was  getting  on,  and 
somebody  else  replied,  in  low  tone,  that  any  one  could 
sec  Willett  had  no  thoughts  for  anything  or  anybody 
outside  of  Fort  Scott,  whereupon  somebody  Number 
1  replied  that  Willett  had  been  at  his  "  shack"  most 
of  the  afternoon,  packing  some  things  and  burning 
others,  and  had  taken  the  midnight  train  at  Duncan 
Switch,  ten  miles  west  of  Braska. 

And  even  while  the  news  of  his  going  was  bringing 
strange  comfort  to  the  good  old  man,  who  rejoiced  that 
this  wolf  in  the  sheepfold  was  even  temporarily  out 
of  the  way,  there  came  a  messenger  from  the  distant 
post  and  a  packet  was  handed  in  for  him.  Some  letters 
and  a  note  from  his  wife. 

"Expecting  yon  home  during  the  evening,  I  did 
not  send  these,  but  they  may  be  important.  Mrs. 
Davies  suddenly  made  up  her  mind  to  go  to  Omaha 
this  afternoon,  and  was  to  take  the  night  train  at 
Braska."  Here  the  other  letters  dropped  to  the  floor, 
and  the  reader's  eyes  filled  with  sudden  consternation 
and  dismay.  Not  until  his  ambulance  had  been  hitched 


480  UNDER  FIRE. 

and  brought  to  the  door  did  he  cease  his  restless  pacing 
to  and  fro.  Kneeling  a  brief  moment  at  the  bedside 
of  the  unconscious  and  fast-failing  sufferer,  he  bade  his 
fellows  hurried  adieu  and  drove  with  speed  to  town,  a 
long  eight  miles.  It  was  then  broad  daylight,  but  he 
stirred  up  the  sleepy  telegraph  operator  and  asked  about 
wiring  after  the  train.  "  Grand  Island's  the  place  to 
catch  ?em,"  said  the  operator.  "  They  breakfast  there  at 
seven."  And  the  chaplain  flushed  and  glanced  keenly  at 
the  man.  Why  should  he  speak  of  catching  anybody 
or  anything  ?  Was  all  the  valley  already  aware  of  this 
shameful  flight  ?  The  hotel  stood  not  a  stone's  throw 
away.  There  must  be  no  unnecessary  scandal  about 
this  business.  He  needed  to  see  the  proprietor,  and 
roused  him,  too.  Boniface  came  down  anything  but 
smiling,  yet  thawed  a  trifle  at  sight  of  the  man  whom 
all  Nebraska  seemed  to  know  and  swear  by.  Cer 
tainly,  Mrs.  Da  vies  spent  the  evening  at  the  hotel  in 
her  room,  and  he  put  her  aboard  the  sleeper  at  12.20, 
the  moment  the  train  came  in.  He  had  wired  to 
Pawnee  and  secured  her  section  and  checked  her  trunk 
to  Omaha.  She  had  her  tickets,  she  said.  Was  Mr. 
Davies  aboard  or — anybody  else  to  meet  her  ?  Not  that 
the  landlord  knew  of.  The  porter  showed  her  in  and 
said  her  section  was  ready.  Everybody  else  was  sound 
asleep,  apparently,  but  there  were  some  soldiers  in  the 
forward  cars.  Some  of  them  got  out  and  had  a  cup 
of  coffee  at  the  stand,  and  "piled  aboard  as  she  pulled 
out."  They  had  a  prisoner,  a  deserter,  in  manacles. 
Then  the  chaplain  wired  to  Duncan  Switch,  and  the 
answer  came  that  Mr.  Willett  left  there,  bound  for 
Omaha,  at  midnight,  and  then  he  wired  the  conductor 


UNDER  FIRE.  481 

of  the  train  at  Grand  Island,  and  later  to  Leonard  at 
Omaha,  then  sat  him  down  to  wait  and  watch  and 
pray. 

The  sleeping-car,  said  the  conductor  afterwards,  was 
fuller  than  usual  that  night.  Some  officers  got  aboard 
at  Rock  Springs,  and  sat  up  quite  late,  chatting  with 
others  who  had  boarded  them  at  Butte  and  Pawnee. 
There  were  five  officers  in  all.  One  of  them,  who  had 
not  taken  a  berth,  went  forward  about  ten  o'clock  and 
made  a  "  roost"  in  the  day  car.  The  conductor  heard 
the  others  talking  about  it,  and  how  the  lieutenant 
would  never  spend  an  unnecessary  cent,  and  some  of 
them  thought  he  was  foolish,  and  others  said  he  was 
right,  and  they  respected  him  for  it.  These  gentlemen 
slept  late,  saying  they  would  rather  breakfast  after  they 
got  to  Omaha.  The  lady  who  came  aboard  at  Braska 
was  the  first  one  up  in  the  morning.  She  was  astir  with 
the  sun,  and  came  back  from  the  dressing-room  as  soon 
as  the  porter  had  made  up  her  section,  looking  as  fresh 
and  fair  as  the  day.  Presently  a  gentleman  joined  her, 
— a  man  he  had  often  seen  on  the  road, — who  travelled, 
as  most  cattle-men  did  in  those  days,  with  a  pass,  and 
who  boarded  them  at  Duncan  Switch,  and  went  at  once 
to  his  berth.  He  seemed  very  much  surprised  to  meet 
the  lady,  but  sat  down  and  talked  with  her  until  we 
whistled  for  Grand  Island,  and  there,  said  the  con 
ductor,  "as  I  bustled  off  the  train,  the  operator  handed 
me  a  despatch  just  at  same  minute  that  the  brakeman 
came  to  tell  me  we  had  a  cracked  wheel  on  the  smoker. 
One  look  at  the  wheel  told  me  that  the  car  must  be 
left  behind,  so  I  ordered  out  the  passengers  while  an 
other  car  was  being  put  on.'7 
v  ff  41 


482  UNDER  FIRE. 

But  the  telegram  took  more  than  one  look.  It 
puzzled  him,  said  the  conductor.  It  was  sent  by  the 
chaplain,  a  man  he  knew  well,  and  in  brief  words  it 
said,  "The  lady  in  Section  7  is  the  wife  of  Lieu 
tenant  Davies,  Eleventh  Cavalry.  She  needs  escort  to 
Omaha,  where  Lieutenant  Leonard  will  meet  her.  If 
any  army  officer  is  aboard,  show  him  this  and  intro 
duce  him.  She  should  not  leave  the  train." 

"  Now,  there  were  officers  on  the  car,  but  they  were 
not  yet  up,"  continued  the  official.  "  Of  course  I  sup 
posed  at  once  that  she  must  be  out  of  her  mind,  and 
that  was  the  trouble.  Just  at  that  moment  I  caught 
sight  of  the  young  lieutenant  who  had  spent  the  night 
in  the  forward  car.  He  was  a  tall,  slender  fellow,  with 
thick,  close-cropped  brown  beard  and  clear  blue  eyes, 
and  he  had  got  that  poor  devil  of  a  prisoner  and  his 
guard  together,  and  was  fetching  them  back  along  the 
track  to  the  coffee-stand  that  happened  to  be  right 
opposite  where  the  sleeper  stopped.  'Will  you  read 
this,  and  see  if  you  know  what  to  make  of  it?'  said 
I,  handing  him  the  despatch,  and  then,  as  he  stopped 
to  read,  my  brakeman  asked  me  some  question,  and  I 
turned  around  to  answer,  and  there,  just  stepping  off 
the  Pullman,  was  Mr.  Willett,  looking  back  and  giving 
his  hand  to  the  lady  herself.  The  handcuffed  prisoner 
was  just  opposite  them  at  the  moment,  between  two 
soldiers,  and  then  the  next  thing  I  knew  I  heard  an 
awful  scream,  and  the  lady  had  covered  her  face  with 
her  hands  and  fallen  back  on  the  steps,  right  at  the 
feet  of  an  officer  who  was  just  coming  out,  and  the 
prisoner  thought  he  saw  a  chance,  perhaps,  and  gave  a 
spring  and  dove  like  a  rat  under  the  car,  the  guard 


UNDER  FIRE.  483 

clumsily  following,  and  Mr.  Willett  stared  about  him 
one  instant,  with  a  face  that  turned  the  color  of  chalk, 
then  he  too  gave  a  sort  of  stifled  exclamation,  '  My 
God !'  and  sprang  up  the  steps  and  over  the  platform 
of  the  day-car  and  was  out  of  sight  in  the  flash  of  an 
eye.  We  heard  shouts  of  '  Halt,  halt,  or  we  fire  !'  from 
the  guards  on  the  other  side  of  the  car,  and  then  two 
quick  shots  a  little  distance  away,  and  another  wail  or 
cry  from  the  lady,  and  then  I  felt  some  one  brush  by  me, 
and  the  lieutenant  sprang  to  her  side,  lifted  her  in  his 
arms  as  he  reached  the  steps,  and  carried  her,  without 
a  word,  into  the  car  by  an  open  window,  where  she 
cowered  and  sobbed  and  shivered  and  moaned,  and  he 
all  the  time  bending  over  and  striving  to  soothe  and 
calm  her." 

But  when  that  train  drew  up  at  the  station  at  Omaha 
an  ambulance  received  the  bleeding,  pain- distorted  form 
of  the  prisoner  Howard,  shot  through  the  leg  in  his 
mad  effort  to  escape.  Leonard  and  Truman,  scanning 
every  face  as  the  passengers  stepped  off  the  cars,  waved 
their  hands  in  greeting  to  the  knot  of  officers  on  the 
sleeper  platform,  and  Leonard  sprang  aboard,  inquiry 
in  his  snapping  black  eyes.  They  made  way  silently 
for  him  to  enter,  and  then  he  knew  not  whether  to  be 
lieve  his  senses. 

"  Leonard,"  said  Davies,  quietly,  "  my  wife  came  on 
to  surprise  me  at  Omaha,  not  expecting  me  this  way. 
I  supposed  she'd  already  come  in  with  the  Cranstons. 
She  was  hardly  well  enough  for  the  journey.  Will 
you  kindly  order  a  carriage  ?" 

She  was  driven  away  in  the  very  dust  of  the  ambu 
lance  that  was  trundling  one  poor  wounded  fellow 


484  UNDER  FIRE. 

to  hospital,  the  conductor  lamenting  that  a  woman  so 
young  and  lovely  should  be  thus  afflicted.  No  one 
else  aboard  that  train  could  dream  from  Davies's  words 
or  manner  that  any  other  explanation  for  her  coming 
existed  than  that  she  was  simply  hastening  to  Omaha 
to  meet  him. 

'  But  no  claimant  appeared  for  the  handsome  leather 
bag  and  hat-box  and  umbrella  left  in  Section  10. 

A  few  days  later  when  the  witnesses  were  scattering 
back  to  their  stations,  or  going  on  brief  leaves  of  ab 
sence  before  so  doing,  Cranston  took  his  soldierly-look 
ing  corporal,  the  recruit  of  the  previous  year,  to  gladden 
the  eyes  of  the  mother  so  eagerly  awaiting  him  in 
Chicago  ;  but  before  starting  they  had  been  summoned 
to  the  hospital  where  Howard  lay,  where  "  Brannan" 
formally,  though  still  with  sorrow  and  reluctance, 
identified  him  as  Powlett.  Leonard  was  there  with 
the  leather  writing-case  and  its  contents,  at  sight  of 
which  Branuan's  last  barrier  of  compunction  fell,  and 
Davies  stood  by  the  bedside,  looking  pale,  haggard, 
and  ten  years  older,  and  Colonel  Rand,  the  inspector 
of  the  department,  and  another  sad-faced  fellow,  Langs- 
ton.  And  Archer  was  there,  and  Hastings,  when  Ser 
geant  Haney's  formal  confession  was  read.  There  was 
little  sensation  over  it.  Everybody  seemed  to  know 
just  about  what  it  would  be.  He  said  nothing  to 
directly  accuse  Captain  Devers  of  conspiracy,  but  Hauey 
had -been  his  first  sergeant  for  five  years,  and  the  devi 
ous  ways  of  his  troop  commander  had  necessitated  the 
existence  of  a  right  bower  who  could  swear  straight 
and  strong  to  what  the  captain  thought  should  be  es 
tablished.  They  got  to  know  each  other  thoroughly, 


UNDER  FIRE.  485 

and  each  lived  in  mortal  dread  of  some  betrayal  on  the 
other's  part.  There  was  a  squad  of  six  or  eight  men 
in  the  troop  which  practically  '  ran  things,"  and 
Haney  was  its  head.  For  years  these  men  had 
triumphed  over  all  efforts  to  break  their  line,  just  as 
Devers  had  baffled  those  which  would  have  cornered 
him,  'but  they  could  see  plainly  that  the  captain  was 
nearing  the  end  of  his  "tether,"  and  his  downfall 
meant  theirs.  The  catastrophe  of  Antelope  Springs 
brought  matters  to  a  climax.  Half  the  men  in  the 
troop  heard  Major  Warren's  orders  to  Devers,  and  all 
knew  he  had  slighted  if  not  disobeyed  them.  This,  if 
proved,  meant  ruin  to  the  ring,  and  the  plan  to  shift 
the  blame  on  Davies's  shoulders, — to  make  the  investi 
gating  officer  believe  the  troop  had  marched  right  down 
along  the  ridge  within  supporting  distance,  and  that 
Davies  had  become  terror-stricken  and  had  hidden  in 
stead  of  instantly  communicating  with  his  captain,  was 
the  result.  Devers,  indeed,  boldly  announced  that  as 
his  theory  and  explanation  of  the  whole  affair,  and 
Haney,  Finucane,  Boyd,  and  the  intelligent  Howard 
were  there  ready  to  swear  to  it  and  save  the  captain 
the  trouble.  So  long  as  Davies  and  McGrath  never 
turned  up  to  combat  the  accusation  all  would  go  well. 
The  captain  didn't  tell  them  in  so  many  words  they 
must  swear  to  the  ridge  trail  as  the  one  they  pursued 
the  evening  of  the  tragedy,  but  he  did  not  oppose  it. 
He  asked  them  for  their  recollection  of  the  matter  and 
made  his  map,  as  did  Mr.  Archer  his  report,  accord 
ingly. 

Then  when  it  was  found  that  Recruit  Brannan  as 
well  as  certain  old   hands  resented   the   idea  of  Mr. 

41* 


486  VXDER  Fins. 

Da  vies  being  held  accountable,  they  had  to  muzzle  him. 
Brannan  declared  he  would  warn  the  lieutenant  the 
moment  he  returned  to  the  troop,  so  they  made  up 
their  minds  that  he  must  be  discredited,  if  not  ruined. 
Howard  said  that  there  was  in  his  writing-case  a  sealed 
packet  that  contained  evidence  that  would  send  him  to 
State's  prison  and  "kill1'  him  in  the  lieutenant's  eyes  ; 
and  this,  indeed,  was  no  idle  threat,  for  Powlett,  fear 
ing  detection  if  he  either  sold  or  kept  the  watch  he  had 
torn  from  Davies's  pocket  after  the  cowardly  assault, 
had  sealed  it  in  one  package  and  tied  Mira's  gushing 
letters  in  another,  and  long  before  had  induced  the 
unsuspecting  boy  to  promise  to  keep  and  guard  them 
for  him  as  a  sacred  trust.  Only  as  a  last  resort, 
said  Haney,  were  they  to  exhibit  the  proofs  of  Bran- 
nan's  apparent  criminality.  Meantime,  by  sending  him 
to  the  agency  or  tempting  him  with  liquor  they  hoped 
to  keep  him  harmless. 

But  Howard  soon  began  striking  for  leadership. 
He  held  the  secrets  of  his  captain  and  two  of  his  ser 
geants  and  was  safely  out  of  the  troubles  that  involved 
him  at  home.  (He  had  been  wise  enough  to  confide 
these  to  no  one  and  to  make  poor  Brannan  swear  to 
preserve  his  secret.)  He  was  beginning  to  hear  from 
relations  and  receive  money  from  them.  He  began  to 
put  on  airs  over  everybody,  captain  and  all,  and 
though  Haney  hated,  and  was  jealous  of  his  influence, 
he  dared  not  offend  him.  They  knew  it  was  he  who 
was  seen  prowling  about  Davies's  quarters,  but  they 
could  not  account  for  it,  and  strove  to  make  it  appear 
that  Branuan  was  the  culprit.  And  then  he  began 
"sparking"  Robideau's  daughter  in  town,  and  had 


r\DER  FIRE.  487 

become  moody,  nervous,  excitable ;  talked  about  mys 
terious  spies  and  trailers,  and  then,  suddenly  and  un 
accountably,  deserted  after  a  spree  in  Braska  that  had 
cost  him  much  money, — after  a  mad  scrape  in  which 
he  had*  terrified  Mrs.  Da  vies  and  thrashed  Mr.  Willett. 
Who  he  was  or  what  he  was  Sergeant  Haney  didn't 
know,  but  that  he  was  a  villain  with  a  history  and  a 
capacity  for  further  devilment  was  certain.  Haney 
had  still  more  to  tell.  The  captain  had  sent  for  him 
and  told  him  of  the  adjutant's  being  in  conference 
with  the  chaplain  and  Mr.  Davies,  and  he  felt  sure  it 
was  about  the  Antelope  Springs  matter.  He  was  sure 
they  had  his  map,  the  one  on  which  Archer  based  his 
report,  and  that  this  would  some  day  be  brought  up  in 
evidence  against  him.  It  was  locked  for  the  night  in 
the  second  drawer  of  the  adjutant's  desk,  said  he,  and 
Haney  understood.  The  drawer  was  chiselled  that 
night  and  the  map  and  papers  taken,  but  not  until  the 
robbery  was  known  all  over  the  post  did  the  captain 
see  the  map  and  sec  that  it  wasn't  his  original  at  all, 
but  simply  a  copy.  Except  for  information  obtained 
in  the  memoranda,  they  had  robbed  the  desk  to  no 
purpose. 

Howard  was  gone  before  this,  but  there  was  Bran- 
nan's  writing-case  in  Haney's  possession,  why  not 
throw  further  suspicion  upon  him?  and  so  there  were 
the  papers  hidden  in  the  hopes  of  further  damning 
him  should  he  ever  appear  as  a  witness  against  them. 
For  all  this  and  much  more  the  poor  dying  sinner 
craved  forgiveness,  and,  hearing  promptly  of  the  con 
fession,  through  Finucane,  who  had  fled  with  horse, 
equipments,  and  everything,  Howard,  in  hiding  and  in 


488  UNDER  FIRE. 

want  at  Butte,  wired  to  his  captain,  hoping  to  extract 
more  money,  for  Devers  had  been  a  thrifty,  and  was 
regarded  a  wealthy,  man. 

And  then  when  this  confession  had  been  made  known 
to  the  wounded  sufferer  the  chaplain  spoke.  "  You 
see  the  case  that  is  building  up  against  you,  Powlett, 
and  just  as  soon  as  you  are  able  to  sit  or  stand  the 
court  will  meet  for  your  trial.  You  have  assault  with 
intent  to  kill,  at  Bluff  Siding  if  not  at  Urbana,  high 
way  robbery,  theft,  desertion,  conspiracy,  and  kindred 
crimes  to  answer  for;  would  it  not  be  infinitely  better 
that  you  should  confess  fully  and  at  once?  Even  the 
men  whom  you  have  so  bitterly  wronged  join  in  no 
clamor  against — they  would  even  spare — you.'7 

But  Powlett  was  a  villain  game,  and  answered  only 
with  a  sneer.  It  was  that  packet  of  Mira's  letters 
handed  to  Davies  with  his  father's  watch  that  supple 
mented  Brannan's  story  and  told  him  all.  Mira  could 
not  live  without  adorers,  could  not  resist  the  longing 
to  flaunt  her  victims  in  the  faces  of  other  girls,  and 
Powlett  was  a  conquest  indeed  until  his  rascality  at 
the  institute  became  known.  Then  he  had  to  flee,  but 
such  was  his  infatuation  that  he  returned  in  hopes  of 
seeing  her.  She  did  meet  him  in  secret,  for  it  was 
sweet  to  see  his  despair.  She  refused  to  meet  him 
again,  however,  and  then  he  charged  her  with  faith 
lessness  and  demanded  to  be  told  the  truth  about  Da- 
vies.  If  that  fellow  reappeared  as  her  lover  he  swore 
to  kill  him,  and  then  she  bade  him  go  and  never  see 
her  more',  with  the  result  already  known.  And  at 
Bluff  Siding  in  the  crowd  and  confusion  he  might 
have  killed  Davies  but  for  Brannan's  watchful  eye 


UNDER  FIRE.  489 

and  warding  hand.  That  was  the  last  pound  that 
broke  the  back  of  Braunan's  feeling  of  friendship  and 
gratitude.  He  would  no  more  of  Powlett,  yet  re 
mained  true  to  his  pledge  of  secrecy.  Mira's  dream 
of  joy  and  triumph  as  an  army  bride  met  its  first  rude 
shock  when,  under  her  window  at  Scott,  she  heard 
stealthy  footsteps  and  the  soft,  low  whistling  of  a 
familiar  air,  the  signal  with  which  he  used  to  summon 
her  to  their  try  sting-place  at  home.  The  mad  fool 
thought  either  to  recover  his  ascendency  over  her  or 
revenge  himself  by  tormenting,  and  then,  when  her 
husband  was  sent  to  the  agency  and  he  saw  oppor 
tunity  of  meeting  and  terrorizing  her,  he  was  in 
furiated  with  new  jealousy  by  her  flirtation  with  Wil- 
lett.  Even  there  at  Scott  he  must  have  written  and 
made  further  threats,  for  the  freshest  and  newest  of 
the  precious  collection  of  her  letters  found  in  "  Bran- 
nan's"  case  referred  to  something  of  the  kind.  Driven 
to  desperation,  she  wrote  that  she  would  expose  him  to 
her  husband  and  Captain  Cranston  if  he  again  pre 
sumed  to  address  her,  and  finally  wrote  this  last : 

"  My  husband  will  be  here  within  forty -eight  hours 
and  I  have  fully  resolved  to  confess  all  to  him :  that 
you,  who  made  the  cowardly  assault  and  left  him  for 
dead  at  Urbana,  and  have  been  guilty  of  such  abomi 
nable  crimes,  are  here,  in  this  garrison,  a  soldier  in  his 
troop.  If  you  remain  it  is  at  your  peril.  On  my 
knees  I  swear  it."  And  with  this  melodramatic  con 
clusion  Mira  had  really  frightened  him.  He  had  sense 
enough  to  know  that,  with  all  the  other  complications 
in  which  he  was  involved,  this  exposure  was  more  than 
he  could  stand.  He  made  other  efforts  to  see  and 


490  UNDER  FIRE. 

plead  with  her,  but  they  were  fruitless,  and  his  own 
melodramatic  coup, — his  last  appearance,  as  he  sup 
posed,  before  her  eyes,  then  followed.  After  that, 
desertion. 

Davies  read  but  two  of  these  missives,  the  first  and 
the  last.  He  restored  them  to  her  without  a  word. 
She  was  lying  in  the  seclusion  of  her  shaded  room  at 
the  hotel  when  he  returned  from  the  hospital,  the  chap 
lain  with  him.  They  spoke  few  words  together  on  the 
way,  and  parted  on  the  corridor,  near  her  door,  for 
there  Davies  turned  and  faced  his  friend. 

"And  you  must  go  back  to  Scott  to-night,  sir?'7 

"Yes."  The  chaplain  was  still  grasping  his  hand 
and  looking  into  the  sad,  stern  face  with  anxiety  and 
tenderness  and  unspoken  longing  in  his  eyes.  "  I  will 
see  to  all  you  have  charged  me  with."  He  placed  his 
other  hand  upon  the  broad  shoulder  before  him.  "  My 
son,  though  I  never  met,  I  knew,  your  father,  and 
that  told  me  what  to  look  for  in  you."  And  now  the 
rich,  deep  voice  was  tremulous,  and  the  kind  old  eyes 
were  dim  with  unshed  tears.  "  The  hand  of  the  Lord 
has  been  laid  in  heaviness  upon  you,  but  ( those  whom 
He  loveth  He  chasteneth.'  Even  could  I  lift  the 
burden  of  your  sorrow  as  easily  as  I  raise  this  hand, 
I  should  falter,  because,  as  I  believe  in  God,  so  do  I 
believe  that  through  trial  even  such  as  this  your  light 
shall  yet  shine  before  men  so  pure  and  strong  that  men 
themselves  shall  be  purer  and  stronger  because  of  it." 

There  was  a  moment's  pause.  Davies  stood  with 
bowed  head.  Cranston,  coming  into  the  hall-way, 
stopped  at  sight  of  them  and  tiptoed  back,  motioning 
to  others  to  wait.  Then  the  chaplain  spoke  again, — 


UNDER  FIRE.  491 

"  You  will  write — as  soon  as — you  have  decided  ?" 

"  I  have  decided,"  was  the  low,  calm  answer. 

"And ?" 

"  Yes,  we  go  to-night.  She  is  not  too  ill  to  move, 
and  once  at  Urbana — no  one  need  know." 

"  Do  you  mean ?"  began  i;he  chaplain. 

"I  mean,"  said  Davies,  looking  calmly  and  with 
dry,  tired  eyes  into  the  chaplain's  face,  "  that  she  is 
utterly  alone  in  the  world, — homeless,  friendless.  Who 
knows  but  that  her  story  may  be  true,  despite  indica 
tions?  What  would  be  her  fate  if  I  were  to  fail  her 
now  ?  It  was  '  for  better,  for  worse/  chaplain.  I  have 
tried  to  do  my  duty  in  the  past.  God  help  me  to  do 
it  to  the  end." 

The  tears  were  running  down  the  old  clergyman's 
face  when,  around  the  corner,  he  came  suddenly  on 
Cranston  and  his  friends,  and  they  seemed  to  understand. 

There  was  a  new  post  commander  at  Scott  when  the 
first  snows  fell  that  winter,  for  honest  Pegleg  had  re 
tired  and  Leonard  had  a  colonel  after  his  own  heart, 
and  the  Fortieth  sang  songs  of  praise  when  the  cam 
paign  was  over,  and  moved  into  quarters  and  renewed 
acquaintances  with  their  families  and  "assurances" 
with  the  Eleventh  when  they  happened  to  meet  along 
the  Union  Pacific,  and  said  they  sorely  missed  them  at 
the  post,  as  probably  they  did,  but  the  Eleventh  didn't 
care  to  go  back.  It  was  too  near  civilization,  said 
Truman.  Tintop  had  his  warriors  under  his  own 
wing  after  the  close  of  the  fighting  season,  and  they 
were  having  grand  times  at  Ransom.  There  this 
winter  were  most  of  the  familiar  names  and  faces. 


492  UNDER  FIRE. 

The  Cranstone,  Trnmans,  and  Hays,  Boynton,  Hast 
ings,  and  Sanders,  battle-scarred  heroes,  most  of  them, 
and  dozens  of  others  in  the  congenial  circle ;  but  Mar 
garet  Cranston  sorely  missed  her  boys,  who  were  big 
enough  now  to  be  at  school,  and  far  too  big  to  be 
staying  around  garrison.  She  missed,  too,  their  fair 
teacher  and  her  friend,  but  Agatha  Loomis  firmly  told 
her  she  had  decided  not  to  return  to  the  frontier  now 
that  she  no  longer  had  her  pupils.  To  the  unspeak 
able  indignation  and  grief  of  her  cousin,  she  had 
chosen  what  Margaret  termed  "  a  life  of  drudgery" 
as  a  teacher  in  Mrs.  Forester's  seminary  for  young 
ladies,  only  a  few  miles  out  of  Chicago.  Even  there 
had  Langston  followed,  but  in  vain.  That,  however, 
was  a  subject  on  which  Margaret  had  promised  to  di 
late  no  more.  She  had  done  her  best,  she  said,  for 
Agatha.  She  had  striven  to  aid  and  abet  this  dis 
tinguished  and  worthy  gentleman  in  his  suit.  She 
thought  the  difference  of  some  twenty-five  years  be 
tween  his  age  and  her  cousin's  a  feeble  consideration 
as  against  his  sterling  worth  and  wealth.  Agatha 
owned  that  she  respected  and  esteemed  him  highly, — 
looked  up  to  him,  in  fact, — but  as  a  maid  of  twenty 
looks  up  to  the  man  of  forty-five.  She  did  not  love 
and  therefore  would  not  marry  him.  The  whole  regi 
ment  seemed  to  feel  for  him,  but  he  came  to  them  no 
more.  He  was  East  again,  and  seeking  resignation  in 
the  one  safe  solace,  hard  and  constant  work. 

But  the  Davieses,  where  were  they  ?  Time  and  again 
was  that  question  asked.  He  hurried  back  for  the 
grand  chase  they  had  in  September  when  Chief  Joseph 
made  his  memorable  rush  cross  continent.  He  left 


UNDER  FIRE.  493 

Mira  at  Urbana  installed  in  lodgings  near  her  father's 
home.  He  went  back  to  her  in  December  when  the 
troops  returned,  and  then  came  orders  announcing  that 
Lieutenant  Percy  Davies,  Eleventh  Cavalry,  was  de 
tailed  on  temporary  duty  at  division  head-quarters.  It 
was  at  this  time  that  Aunt  Almira  urgently  offered  him 
and  her  pretty  niece,  his  wife,  the  hospitality  of  her 
home,  begging  that  he,  her  boy's  friend  and  fellow- 
soldier  and  admiration,  should  bring  her  and  be  their 
guest  in  Chicago  as  long  as  they  could  possibly  stay, 
and  Aunt  Almira  was  amazed  at  the  refusal,  grateful, 
gentle,  courteous  though  it  was  in  every  way.  Mira, 
junior,  had  been  devoted  to  society  when  there  before, 
was  it  possible  she  had  so  soon  tired  of  it  all  ?  Davies 
had  some  topographical  wrork  to  do,  it  soon  transpired, 
for  the  lieutenant-general  wanted  certain  maps  made 
of  the  Bad  Lauds  traversed  during  the  campaigns  of 
the  two  years,  and  the  Gray  Fox  recommended  the 
silent,  observant  young  graduate,  whose  field-notes 
had  proved  so  accurate  and  complete.  Not  oftener 
than  once  a  week  did  Davies  go  in  to  consult  the  chief 
engineer  at  head-quarters.  The  work  he  did  in  quiet 
at  Urbana,  and  it  might  detain  him  several  months. 
Aunt  Almira  thought  it  really  strange  that  he  could 
succeed  in  it  at  all.  She  was  sure  that  the  descriptions 
her  boy  had  given  of  the  Bad  Lands  were  so  vividly 
accurate  that  he  must  know  them  even  better  than  did 
her  nephew-in-law,  the  lieutenant.  She  asked  her  hus 
band  if  it  did  not  seem  almost  as  though  Davies  might 
be  afraid  to  have  her  lambkin  take  any  part  in  it 
lest  it  should  rob  the  officer  of  the  credit,  but  that 
hard-headed  old  railway-man  thought  not.  He  shared 

42 


494  UNDER  FIRE. 

her  gratification  in  the  wonderfully  improved  appear 
ance  of  the  boy,  and  secretly  marvelled  at  his  ap 
parent  reformation.  He  had  several  talks  with  him, 
gave  her  for  him  abundant  money,  so  that  on  his  home 
visit  he  might  dress  as  became  his  mother's  son  and 
enjoy  himself  like  a  gentleman.  He  expected  him  to 
turn  up  speedily  somewhere  on  a  tremendous  drunk, 
and  was  rejoiced  and  surprised  that  he  did  not.  Aunt 
Almira  had  planned  a  grand  dinner  to  which  should  be 
bidden  the  general  and  staif,  the  Cranston s  and  others, 
all  in  honor  of  the  home-coming  of  their  fellow-soldier, 
her  son,  and  was  utterly  bewildered  and  crestfallen 
when  the  latter  laughingly  told  her  to  go  ahead 
with  the  dinner,  but  count  him  out ;  corporals  didn't 
dine  with  their  generals  and  captains,  despite  the  teach 
ings  of  the  modern  military  drama.  The  mother  in 
dignantly  protested.  The  son  was  firm.  If  her  boy, 
said  she,  wasn't  good  enough  to  sit  at  table  with  the 
President  of  the  United  States  then  she  wasn't.  If 
that  was  the  result  of  his  joining  the  cavalry,  the  sooner 
he  resigned  and  quit  the  better,  and  then  he  saw  the 
indignant  tears  and  teased  no  more,  but  took  her  in 
his  arms  and  soothed  and  strove  to  explain.  Soothe  he 
could,  but  explain  he  could  not.  She  gave  up  the  din 
ner  until  after  he  had  gone  back  to  his  regiment,  for 
go  he  would,  as  he  meant  to  be  a  sergeant  inside  of  two 
years,  and  when  she  found  that  the  sole  difference  be 
tween  sergeant  and  corporal  in  our  blessedly  demo 
cratic  service  was  simply  half  an  inch  or  so  more  of 
stripe  on  his  trousers,  and  brought  him  no  nearer 
the  commission  and  little  farther  from  the  rank  and 
file,  she  marvelled  that  the  Department  of  War  could 


UNDER  FIRE.  495 

be  so  slow  to  appreciate  a  soldier  ready  to  do  so  much 
for  so  little.  Go  back  to  "  C"  Troop  lie  would  and 
did,  and  was  proud  of  it,  and  her  husband  comforted 
her  by  saying  "Bran"  was  a  man  at  last. 

But  if  the  Eleventh  heard  but  little  of  the  Davieses 
for  a  time,  they  had  abundant  news  of  Devers,  and 
much  comfort  did  he  seem  to  find  in  sending  to  them 
stacks  of  local  papers,  and  in  writing  long,  argument 
ative  letters  in  which  he  sought  to  convince  his  readers 
that  he  was  a  wronged  and  injured  man.  When 
Trooper  Howard  came  up  for  the  trial  which  resulted 
in  his  going  in  irons  for  a  five  years'  tour  in  prison,  an 
effort  was  made  to  get  Devers  before  the  court  as  a 
witness,  and  a  subpoena  duces  tecum  was  duly  served 
upon  him  in  his  far  distant  home  within  sight  of  the 
sounding  sea,  but  it  did  not  fetch  him.  Devers  ex 
plained  that  as  a  civilian  he  had  no  interest  in  the 
proceedings  and  could  not  be  required  to  obey  the 
mandate  of  a  purely  military  court,  a  view  in  which 
the  judiciary  of  the  great  republic,  ever  steadfast  in 
the  principle  that  military  must  be  subservient  to  the 
civil  power,  virtually  sustained  him.  It  was  perfectly 
competent  for  a  court-martial  to  summon  a  civilian 
witness,  said  the  bench,  but  it  had  no  recourse  in  case 
the  civilian  treated  both  court  and  summons  with  con 
tempt,  and  Devers's  fellow-citizens  in  the  far  East, 
headed  by  the  editor  of  the  Mooselemeg  untie  Mirror, 
congratulated  their  returned  hero  on  the  spirited  and 
just  rebuke  he  had  administered  to  a  satrapy  which 
should  have  no  place  among  an  enlightened  people. 
Indeed,  the  Mirror's  interviews  and  editorials  were  both 
full  of  brilliant  mendacity  just  now.  Devers's  story 


496  UNDER  FIRE. 

was  in  every  issue,  more  or  less  of  it,  and  West  Point 
jealousy  was  the  theme  of  many  a  paragraphic  fling. 
Brilliant,  daring,  conspicuous  as  had  been  Devers's 
services  during  the  civil  war  and  on  the  wild  frontier, 
he  had  never  succeeded  in  winning  recognition,  owing 
to  the  persistent  calumnies  of  his  seniors,  who,  gradu 
ates  of  the  great  national  charity  school  on  the  Hud 
son,  were  leagued  to  down  any  man  whose  ability,  dash, 
and  daring  made  him  the  object  of  their  narrow  jeal 
ousy  and  the  victim  of  their  inordinate  greed.  After 
years  of  patient  service,  loyal  and  dutiful,  their  dis 
tinguished  fellow-citizen,  said  the  Mirror,  had  been  re 
lieved  from  his  command  on  trumped-up  charges,  and, 
though  he  pleaded  hard  to  be  allowed  to  go  with  them 
in  any  capacity,  even  as  an  humble  trooper  in  the 
ranks,  his  company  took  the  field  on  the  late  campaign 
without  him,  and,  deprived  of  the  services  of  their  be 
loved  captain,  met  with  grievous  and  irreparable  dis 
aster.  Even  then  his  enemies  were  not  silenced.  The 
faithful  soldiers  who  clamored  for  the  restoration  of 
their  captain  were  driven  to  death  or  desertion.  He 
himself  begged  to  be  confronted  with  his  accusers,  but 
met  denial,  delay,  and  deceit  at  every  hand.  One  pre 
text  after  another  was  resorted  to  in  postponing  the 
meeting  of  the  court,  and  at  last,  worn  out  with  long 
struggle  against  prejudice,  injustice,  and  organized 
enmity,  he  had  thrown  up  his  commission  in  a  thank 
less  service  and  returned  to  the  welcoming  arms  of  his 
fellow-citizens.  The  Mirror,  in  which  Devers  had  a 
controlling  interest,  inquired  whether  the  time  had  not 
come  for  the  recall  of  the  amiable  fossil  then  misrepre 
senting  the  district  in  Congress,  and  the  unanimous 


UNDER  FIRE.  497 

election  of  Colonel  Devers  as  his  successor.  The  gov 
ernor,  needing  the  support  of  the  Mirror  in  a  coming 
campaign,  gladly  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity 
of  rewarding  a  war-tried  veteran,  and  named  the  re 
turning  soldier  an  aide-de-camp  with  the  rank  of  colo 
nel  on  his  staff,  and  humble  subalterns  of  artillery 
from  the  two-battery  post  at  the  entrance  of  Moose- 
lemeguntic  Bay  looked  with  awe  upon  the  future  mili 
tary  cornmitteeman  of  the  — th  Congress,  yet  were 
charmed  with  his  affability  at  the  governor's  ball, 
where  his  new  uniform  fitted  him  better  than  did  those 
of  his  associate  aides,  and  where  the  artillerymen 
heard  things  confirmatory  of  their  convictions  that 
their  comrades  of  the  cavalry  really  had  no  idea  how 
to  fight  Indians.  Devers  was  on  the  high-road  to  fame 
and  Congress,  and  might  indeed  have  made  successful 
run  had  the  election  occurred  within  four  months  after 
his  return,  but  four  months  was  too  long  for  him  to  live 
without  differing,  and  little  by  little  the  Mirror  became 
dimmed  and  Devers's  image  faded  out  of  public  sight. 
Only  once  did  it  revive,  and  that  was  when,  several 
years  after,  all  on  a  sudden  there  appeared  in  the 
columns  of  the  army  paper  notice  that  a  bill  had  been 
introduced  in  Congress  providing  for  the  restoration 
to  the  army,  with  the  rank  he  would  have  held  had  he 
remained  continuously  in  the  cavalry  service,  of  Jared 
B.  Devers,  formerly  captain  Eleventh  Cavalry,  who  had 
tendered  his  resignation  some  years  before  owing  to 
disagreements  with  certain  officers  representing  the 
West  Point  element,  which  was  hostile  to  him,  and 
friends  in  Washington  warned  the  Eleventh  that  old 
Differs  had  strong  political  backing. 
93  42* 


498  UNDER   FIRE. 

And  then  did  the  Eleventh  arise  in  its  wrath.  Good 
old  Tintop  had  been  gathered  to  his  fathers  by  that 
time.  Riggs  was  rusting  out  of  active  service,  Pegleg 
was  buried  and  Mrs.  Pegleg  was  married  again, — a 
lieutenant  this  time ;  but  there  was  no  lack  of  men  to 
remember  how  he  had  managed  by  political  influence 
at  Washington  to  secure  the  acceptance  of  his  resigna 
tion  the  moment  he  saw  how  surely,  if  brought  to  trial, 
the  case  would  go  against  him,  and  the  Eleventh  pub 
lished  a  memorial,  signed  by  almost  every  surviving 
officer  who  was  with  it  in  the  old  days.  The  bill  if 
passed  would  make  Devers  a  major  well  up  on  the  list, 
for  Warren  was  now  lieutenant-colonel  of  the  — th, 
Truman  major  of  the  Fourth,  Cranston  senior  captain, 
Boynton  and  Hastings  were  junior  troop  commanders, 
Sanders  a  senior  first  and  regimental  quartermaster. 
All  these  and  other  names  appeared  attached  to  the 
remonstrance,  and  that  bill  was  never  even  reported  in 
committee.  It  was  learned  that  in  the  course  of 
some  years  of  differing  with  his  business  associates, 
the  gentle  Devers,  though  still  a  colonel  on  his  native 
heath,  had  nearly  wrecked  the  "  Mirror"  and  his  for 
tune  with  it,  and  so  bethought  him  of  this  scheme  of 
restoration  to  the  army.  Leonard  was  by  this  time  an 
assistant  adjutant-general,  and  prompt  to  act.  There 
was  a  jubilee  at  Ransom  the  evening  after  his  despatch 
was  received  reporting  arrival  of  the  regimental  pro 
test  and  the  remarks  thereon  by  members  of  the  mili 
tary  committee.  The  officers  gathered  in  the  club- 
room  and  drank  long  life  to  Leonard  and  confusion  to 
Devers,  and  then  little  Sanders  tuned  up  his  guitar 
and  sang.  He  was  just  back  from  leave,  and  a  popular 


UNDER  FIRE.  499 

lyric  of  the  day  was  one  they  called  "  The  Accent  On," 
for  the  last  line  of  every  verse  was  "with  the  accent 
on"  some  syllable  of  the  last  word  of  the  previous 
line.  There  was  nothing  especially  poetic  or  refined 
about  the  composition,  but  the  newspapers  were  ring 
ing  the  changes  on  it.  A  popular  comedian  had  sung 
and  made  much  of  it,  and  its  composer  had  presumably 
made  something  if  not  much  out  of  it,  and  Sanders 
was  sure  of  laughter  and  applause  when  he  sang  it  at 
the  "  stags."  One  verse  was  of  a  man  who  came  home 
in  a  maudlin  state  and  his  wife  remarked,  "  Well,  you 
are  beautiful.  With  the  accent  on  the  full."  Another 
was  of  a  man  who  wanted  unlimited  credit  at  a  bar 
and  was  told,  "  I  like  not  your  arithmetic.  With  the 
accent  on  the  tick."  All  very  poor  literature,  perhaps, 
but  it  amused,  and  this  night  after  singing  three  verses 
of  the  old  song,  Sanders  "  turned  loose"  on  a  verse  of 
his  own  which,  when  heard,  the  mess  applauded  and 
chorused  to  the  echo,  and  broke  up  singing  again  and 
again  Sanders's  telling  hit  in  the  last  line: 

We  had  a  cap  in  our  corps 

Who  left  us  years  ago, 
Who  never  said  a  manly  word 

Nor  struck  A  manly  blow. 
He  never  faced  when  he  could  dodge, 

He  only  spoke  to  slur, 
And  now  he  is  a  colonel, 

But  the  accent's  on  the  cur. 

And  that  was  Devers's  requiem  in  the  Eleventh 
Horse  as  well  as  in  the  house  of  Congress.  He  never 
vexed  them  more. 

One  of  the  old  names  was  lacking  on  the  list  that 


500  UNDER  FIRE. 

accompanied  the  remonstrance, — that  of  the  man  of 
whom,  nearly  a  decade  before,  Devers  "  only  spoke  to 
slur."  Lieutenant  Davies  would  not  sign.  He  was 
with  the  regiment  too,  but,  just  as  of  old,  eschewed  the 
club-room  and  all  gatherings  of  the  kind.  They  had 
taken  the  paper  to  him  and  he  read,  pondered,  and 
said  no.  Gray  it  was,  now  captain  of  "  I"  Troop, 
with  which  Davies  was  on  duty  as  first  lieutenant, 
who  draughted  the  paper,  and  confidently  presented  it 
to  his  subaltern.  "Why  not?"  said  he,  in  surprise. 
"No  man  ever  did  more  to  injure  you  except  per 
haps "  And  here  Gray  broke  off  short  in  sudden 

confusion. 

"  Perhaps  that  is  why  I  prefer  not  to  be  quoted 
against  him,"  said  Davies,  quietly.  And  mentally 
kicking  himself,  as  he  expressed  it,  for  making  such  a 
"  break"  as  in  his  bungling  half  allusion  to  the  excep 
tion,  Gray  hastened  away  to  tell  of  it.  His  story 
came  to  unsympathetic  ears. 

"  In  my  opinion,"  said  Sanders,  "  if  you  mean  that 
other  fellow,  he  didn't  injure  Parson  half  as  much  as 
he  hurt  himself." 

That,  too,  was  an  old  story  in  the  Eleventh  by  this 
time.  Six  long  months  was  Davies  absent  from  the 
regiment  on  his  map-work  at  division  head -quarters. 
Then  came  the  customary  call  to  the  field  for  another 
season  of  scouting  and  campaigning,  and  he  rejoined 
his  troop,  somewhat  pallid  and  graver  looking,  the 
result  probably  of  long  days  of  toil  over  his  drawing- 
board.  He  was  only  a  few  hours  at  Ransom  before 
they  marched,  but  the  ladies  wanted  to  know  all  about 
Mrs.  Davies  and  what  she  was  to  do  in  his  absence. 


UNDER  FIRE.  501 

Mrs.  Davies  would  remain  at  Urbana,  said  he,  where 
her  father  and  sister  dwelt,  and  those  were  indeed  his 
injunctions  to  her,  and  for  a  month  after  his  departure 
she  observed  them,  then  repaired  to  Chicago  and  Aunt 
Almira's  roof.  Davies  by  this  time  was  with  his  troop 
scouting  near  Yellowstone  Park,  far  beyond  reach  of 
telegrams  or  letters.  Society  was  unusually  gay  that 
summer.  There  was  dancing,  boating,  dining,  sum 
mer  resorting,  and  one  of  the  loveliest  of  summer  re 
sorts  within  an  hour's  run  of  the  great  city  was  Forest 
Glen,  the  seat  of  the  famous  seminary  where  Agatha 
Loom  is  was  enjoying  the  quiet  of  her  vacation,  and 
one  night,  strolling  with  Mrs.  Forrester  over  to  the 
hotel  to  watch  the  dancers  and  hear  the  lovely  music, 
she  came  face  to  face  in  the  soft  moonlight  with  a 
couple  so  absorbed  in  their  conversation  that  not  until 
they  were  actually  brushing  by  did  they  look  up,  and 
even  Mrs.  Forrester  saw  the  sudden  confusion  and 
dismay  in  their  faces.  The  man  turned  white  and 
made  a  hurried  movement  as  though  to  lift  his  hat. 
The  woman  flushed,  almost  angrily.  Miss  Loomis 
bowed  calmly  and  coldly  and  passed  on  without  a 
word. 

The  next  day,  however,  she  called  at  the  Glen 
House,  where  the  two  Almiras,  aunt  and  niece,  were 
spending  the  week,  and  asked  for  Mrs.  Percy  Davies. 
Mrs.  Davies  was  out.  Miss  Loomis  wrote  a  few  words 
in  pencil,  slipped  them  into  an  envelope,  sent  that  up, 
and  the  next  day  called  again,  and  Mrs.  Davies  begged 
to  be  excused.  Miss  Loomis  sadly  went  home,  penned 
a  long  letter  to  Mrs.  Davies,  and  on  the  following 
morning  sent  it.  In  half  an  hour  her  messenger  and 


502  UNDER   FIRE. 

note  returned.  Mrs.  Davies  had  left  for  home  that 
morning.  Urbana  was  not  far  away,  and  two  days 
later  Miss  Loomis  was  there  inquiring  for  Mrs.  Davies 
on  her  native  heath.  She  had  not  returned.  She  was 
visiting  her  aunt  at  Forest  Glen,  and  then  Agatha 
knew  she  had  come  too  late.  She  had  striven  to 
prove  to  the  poor  empty-headed,  empty-hearted  girl 
that  she  had  at  least  one  friend.  She  had  hoped  to 
plead,  to  point  out  the  right,  and,  if  possible,  save  her 
from  herself  and  the  impending  step,  but  all  to  no 
purpose.  Two  years  later,  among  the  papers  of  her  un 
happy  boy,  a  sorrowing  mother  found  two  little  notes 
written,  like  Beatrix  Esmond's,  to  lure  her  lover  on. 
One  was  dated  Fort  Scott  in  the  summer  of  '77.  "  We 
are  desolate  again  with  all  our  soldiers  in  the  field,  but 
we  pray  for  happier  days.  Have  you  no  new  waltz 
music  for  us  ?"  And  this  reached  him  at  the  sea-shore. 
The  second  was  posted  on  the  railway  and  addressed 
to  his  club  in  New  York.  "  I  am  even  more  desolate 
than  last  year.  Shall  I  never  hear  from  you  again  ?" 
It  contained  a  self-addressed  envelope.  And  that  was 
why  her  boy  postponed  until  later  in  the  summer  the 
voyage  his  physician  had  advised,  and  why  he  lived 
apart  from  friends  and  kindred,  in  Paris  most  of  the 
time,  until  the  death  of  his  wretched  companion  within 
a  year  of  their  flight.  Then  Langston,  at  his  mother's 
prayer,  went  over  and  fetched  him  home.  It  had  been 
a  year  soon  given  over  to  recrimination,  bitter  re 
proaches,  and  frequent  and  increasing  estrangement. 
Willett  was  but  the  moody  wreck  of  his  old  self  when 
restored  to  the  one  faithful  friend  who  clung  to  him  as 
only  mothers  will,  in  spite  of  all. 


UNDER  FIRE.  503 

The  Eleventh  was  a  thousand  miles  or  so  away  the 
summer  of  poor  Mira's  final  escapade,  and  not  until 
she  was  across  the  sea  did  the  news  reach  her  husband. 
She  wrote  a  few  words  of  farewell  such  as  would  be 
expected  of  her.  "  You  never  loved  me/7  she  said, 
"  never  understood  me,  and  in  every  way  I  was  made 
to  feel  that  I  was  only  a  burden,  only  a  doll.  You 
have  mured  me  here  in  prison,  where  I  have  no  soul 
to  sympathize  with  me,  and  I  can  bear  it  no  longer. 
You  will  not  miss  me.  Indeed,  I  know  too  well  how 
soon  you  will  find  solace,  and  where.  Henceforth  I 
dedicate  my  life  to  one  who  adores  me,  whose  soul 
responds  to  every  thought  of  mine.  Adieu." 

It  was  predicted  about  this  time  that  Davies  would 
resign,  shoot  Willett,  or  study  for  the  ministry.  Many 
men  thought  that  he  bore  his  wrongs  so  meekly  that 
he  had  mistaken  his  calling.  One  man,  a  sergeant, 
said  as  much  in  Corporal  Brannan's  presence,  and  the 
result  was  a  scene  that  called  for  the  intervention  of 
the  guard  and  the  adjudication  of  a  court-martial. 
Brannan  lost  his  chevrons,  but  gained  an  enthusiastic 
friend  and  champion  in  Cranston,  who  sifted  out  the 
cause  of  the  fight, — a  matter  scrupulously  hidden  from 
the  court.  Branuan  went  into  the  Ute  campaign  the 
following  year  a  sergeant,  and  out  of  the  army  with 
an  Indian  bullet  through  his  arm  and  into  his  chest, 
where  the  doctors  couldn't  find  it.  Little  by  little 
the  doting  mother  at  home  began  to  learn  how  very 
far  away  that  longed-for  commission  might  be.  Her 
boy  himself  flouted  the  idea.  "  I  haven't  the  edu 
cation,"  he  said,  "  and  would  be  ill  at  ease  and  out 
of  place  among  them."  And  so  the  magnate  was 


504  UNDER  FIRE. 

steadily  importuned,  and  when  at  last  the  young  fellow 
came  home  after  the  Milk  River  campaign,  and  gen 
erals  like  Sheridan  and  Crook  praised  his  pluck  and 
devotion,  and  the  doctors  said  he  simply  couldn't  go 
back  to  service,  they  got  him  his  discharge, — a  medal 
of  honor  came  later,— and  presently  in  the  long  list 
of  railway  officials  of  the  Q.  E.  and  X.  appeared  his 
name  as  assistant  general  passenger  agent,  and  for  a 
couple  of  years  the  way  that  great  corporation  dealt 
out  passes  to  the  army  was  a  matter  that  finally  came 
up  at  directors'  meeting  and  led  to  a  preliminary  to  the 
Interstate  Commerce  Law  of  '87,  and  a  restriction  of  the 
powers  of  the  assistant.  But  there  was  no  longer  any 
hitch  in  the  maternal  schemes  for  elaborate  dinners  to 
generals  and  staff.  They  enjoyed  meeting  "the  ser 
geant/7  as  he  rejoiced  in  being  called,  as  much  as  he 
could  wish,  and  if  they  did  not  quite  look  upon  him 
as  she  did,  as  the  central  figure,  the  one  Prince  Para 
mount  of  the  late  campaign,  there  was  at  least  warmth 
and  cordiality  and  comradeship  enough  to  gratify  even 
a  mother's  heart. 

But  the  Parson  did  not  resign.  He  was  away  from 
the  regiment  again  a  long  month  after  Mira's  flight,  and 
again  after  her  death,  returning  suddenly  on  each  oc 
casion  because  of  the  imminence  of  Indian  hostilities 
which  for  a  time  seemed  breaking  out  in  new  spots 
with  every  spring.  Between  Cranston  and  himself 
there  was  ever  the  same  firm  and  steadfast  friendship. 
He  sought  no  intimacies  anywhere,  but  in  the  same 
calm,  grave,  consistent  way  he  went  about  his  duties 
in  garrison,  waking  up  to  something  like  enthusiasm 
or  excitement  only  when  "on  (he  trail."  For  three 


UNDER  FIRE.  505 

years  after  his  brief  absence  in  the  summer  of  '79  he 
never  left  his  troop  a  day.  A  wonderfully  good  drill 
officer  was  the  Parson,  with  a  powerful,  ringing  voice. 
"  Make  a  splendid  exhorter,"  said  some  of  the  boys. 
He  was  an  accurate  tactician,  too,  and  a  man  who  had 
the  faculty  of  getting  admirable  results  out  of  his  com 
mand  "without  ever  a  cuss  word,"  said  Truman,  a 
thing  which  that  old-time  troop  leader  could  not  under 
stand.  Davies  lived  hours  in  the  open  air,  but  read 
and  studied  much.  Popular  he  was  not,  and  never 
cared  to  be ;  but,  honored  and  respected  by  one  and  all 
and  loved  by  little  children,  he  went  his  earnest  way, 
and  little  by  little  Margaret  Cranston  found  herself 
leaning  more  and  more  upon  his  opinions  as  to  the 
pursuits  and  studies  of  her  boys,  and  would  sit  with 
her  needle-work  listening  to  the  long  discussions  be 
tween  him  and  her  husband,  who  read  not  much  out 
side  the  papers,  and  presently  it  got  to  be  the  estab 
lished  thing  for  the  Parson  to  read  aloud  to  them  when 
he  came,  and  though  Wilbur  scandalized  her  by  going 
to  sleep  and  snoring  on  two  occasions,  he  soon  began 
to  wake  up  and  talk  and  discuss,  and  others,  dropping 
in,  either  stayed  to  take  part  in  Cranston's  impromptu 
lyceum  or  took  their  chatter  elsewhere.  The  second 
and  third  winters  at  old  Laramie  were  some  of  the 
loveliest,  said  Margaret  afterwards,  she  ever  knew, 
and  Mr.  Davies  had  become  one  of  themselves.  His 
promotion  to  "  I"  Troop  and  transfer  to  a  different 
post  was  nothing  short  of  a  domestic  calamity. 

But  not  until  that  promotion  and  transfer  occurred 
—though  who  shall  say  there  was  significance  in  the 
fact  9 — Was  Mrs.  Cranston  able  to  induce  Miss  Loomis 
w  43 


506  UNDER  FIRE. 

to  visit  the  frontier  again.  They  were  together  all  the 
summer  of  '81,  at  the  sea-shore  with  the  boys,  while 
Captain  Cranston  and  Davies  and  others  were  scorch 
ing  on  the  plains,  and  Miss  Loomis  evidently  needed 
rest  and  salt  air  and  water.  The  next  winter  she  gave 
up  her  duties  at  the  seminary  and  joined  the  Cranstons 
on  a  trip  down  the  Mississippi,  eventually  returning 
with  her  cousin  to  Wyoming,  for  her  health  seemed  to 
have  suffered  from  the  long  confinement  at  the  school. 
Bob  Gray,  with  "  I"  Troop,  was  away  up  at  Fort 
McKinney  then,  but  an  important  court  met  at  the 
old  station  down  on  the  Platte,  and,  as  luck  would 
have  it,  Lieutenant  Davies  was  sent  in  as  judge-ad 
vocate. 

Just  why  Mrs.  Cranston  should  have  made  no  men 
tion  to  Miss  Loomis  of  his  coming  is  a  matter  only  a 
woman  can  explain,  but  she  kept  the  matter  to  herself 
until  the  evening  of  his  arrival.  It  was  their  first 
meeting  in  four  years.  The  court  was  in  session  a 
month,  and  three  evenings  out  of  four  Davies  spent  as 
of  old  at  Cranston's  fireside.  Sanders  suggested  that 
the  Parson  seemed  to  be  "  taking  notice"  again.  But 
Davies  went  back  to  his  station  and  Miss  Loomis  went 
on  about  her  daily  avocations,  reading  aloud  while 
Margaret's  busy  needle  flew,  or  playing  sweet  old 
melodies  at  the  piano.  The  young  officers  were  rather 
afraid  of  her.  She  was  "a  somewhat  superior  old 
maid,"  said  a  youngster  whom  she  had  found  it  expe 
dient  to  repress.  Some  women  declared  her  a  trifle 
unapproachable,  unsympathetic  perhaps,  but  even  that 
did  not  seem  to  disconcert  her.  Something  happened 
ere  long  that  did,  however,  for  a  few  months  after 


UNDER   FIRE.  507 

adjournment  of  the  court  Davies  reappeared  at  Lara- 
mie.  He  bad  actually  taken  a  leave  of  absence,  and 
now  he  was  at  Cranston's  six  evenings  out  of  seven, 
and  garrison  gossip  began  in  good  earnest.  Was  the 
Parson  seeking  solace  where  poor  Mira  always  said  he 
would?  If  so,  he  had  little  to  build  on  by  way  of 
encouragement.  The  Cranstons  missed  him  sorely 
when  he  went  back  to  Gray,  and  Miss  Loomis  frankly 
referred  to  him  as  "  most  instructive"  and  much  broad 
ened  and  improved.  She  missed  him  as  any  one  must 
miss  so  well-informed  a  companion.  Four  years  be 
fore  she  used  to  exasperate  Margaret  by  standing  up 
for  him  no  matter  what  he  did ;  now  she  vexed  her  by 
refusing  to  see  anything  remarkable  in  him  whatever. 
Davies  wrote  with  increasing  frequency  from  Fort 
McKinney  to  Mrs.  Cranston,  and  Margaret  always 
wanted  to  read  the  letters  aloud,  which  was  bad  gen 
eralship  in  a  would-be  match-maker. 

Then  one  day  came  the  tidings  that  head-quarters 
and  six  troops  were  to  be  stationed  together,  "  C"  and 
"  I"  among  them,  and  Miss  Loomis  returned  to  Chi 
cago.  "  I'll  never  forgive  you  as  long  as  I  live,"  said 
Margaret.  "  I  know  just  why  you  won't  stay,  and 
you  needn't  have  worried  yourself, — he's  far  too  proud 
to  importune  a  woman  who  won't  listen  to — to  reason." 

But  Mrs.  Cranston  meant  love,  not  reason,  and  the 
two  are  miles  or  oceans  apart.  Mr.  Davies  might  be 
too  proud  to  worry  a  woman  who  couldn't  appreciate 
reason,  but  a  woman  worth  the  winning  was  worth  the 
wooing,  and  not  a  little  of  it.  Business  called  him  to 
Urbana  several  days  the  following  winter,  and  some 
thing  kept  him  several  weeks.  He  resumed  duty  in 


508  UNDER  FIRE. 

the  spring,  steadfast  as  ever,  but  even  less  disposed  to 
take  part  in  garrison  affairs.  Mrs.  Cranston  wrote 
fiercely  and  frequently  to  Agatha,  and,  for  aught  I 
know,  called  her  opprobrious  things.  For  another 
year  she  refused  to  return  to  them.  Then  came  a 
winter  indeed  of  discontent,  and  the  Eleventh  was 
ordered  to  far  away,  burning,  blistering  Arizona,  all 
but  Cranston's  troop,  excepted  at  the  last  moment 
and  detailed  for  service  at  the  School  of  Application. 
Agatha  again  came  to  stay  with  them,  and  here  at  last 
Margaret  Cranston  learned  the  momentous  fact  that, 
after  all  these  years,  something  had  happened :  they 
were  actually  corresponding. 

She  learned  more  within  the  fortnight  that  followed. 
One  exquisite  May  evening  just  as  the  sunset  gun  had 
fired  and  all  the  bordering  walks  and  piazzas  were 
thronged  with  gayly-dressed  groups,  women  and  chil 
dren  mainly,  watching  the  scene  on  the  parade,  there 
was  some  stir  among  the  clerks  and  orderlies  and  a 
gentle  movement  over  on  the  porch  of  the  colonel 
commanding.  The  long  line  of  officers  dispersed  as 
usual  at  dismissal  of  parade,  and  Cranston  came  stroll 
ing  over  homeward  chatting  with  his  friend  and  next- 
door  neighbor,  Captain  Blake,  of  the  — th.  Blake's 
lovely  wife  was  even  then  on  Cranston's  veranda,  for 
she  and  Miss  Loomis  seemed  to  have  taken  a  fancy  to 
each  other  from  the  moment  of  their  meeting.  Mar- 

O 

garet,  as  usual,  met  her  hero  at  the  steps,  just  as  a 
young  officer  came  excitedly  and  hurriedly  down  the 
brick  walk  from  the  colonel's.  It  was  Blake  who 
heard  him  calling  some  tidings  toother  households  and 
who  hailed  him  as  he  neared  them  and  was  bustling  by. 


UNDER   FIRE.  509 

"  What's  the  row,  Tommy?" 

"  Big  fight  in  Arizona,"  was  the  startling  answer. 
"  Captain  Hastings  and  Parson  Davies  killed." 

And  Nannie  Blake  saw  in  amaze  the  light  go  out 
of  her  companion's  eyes  and  every  vestige  of  color 
from  her  face.  Her  arms  were  about  her  in  an  in 
stant,  and  none  too  soon.  Oh,  the  blessing  of  those 
clinging,  clustering  vines !  No  one  else  saw  how  they 
had  to  fairly  carry  her  within  doors,  but  Agatha's 
secret  was  revealed. 

There  was  little  exaggeration  in  the  first  story  of 
that  savage  battle  in  the  canon.  Many  a  gallant  fellow 
lay  stripped  and  bloated  when  the  relief  party  reached 
the  scene  a  few  days  later,  but  Davies,  though  pierced 
through  and  through,  still  lived,  and  was  moved  and 
borne  away  weeks  later  to  bracing  mountain  air,  and 
found  many  a  reason  for  wanting  to  live  for  many  a 
year.  Two  men  had  gone  to  him  fast  as  trains  could 
speed,  Cranston  and  our  old  friend  the  chaplain.  It 
was  the  former  who  within  the  week  that  followed  that 
engagement  announced  another.  It  was  the  latter  who 
within  the  fortnight  joined  her  hand  in  his,  white, 
feeble  as  it  was,  and  poured  out  his  very  heart  and 
soul  in  the  fervent  prayer  for  blessing  on  this  man  and 
this  woman  now  at  last  made  one. 

That  seems  a  long  time  ago.  The  regiment  is  famous 
now  for  its  troop  commanders, — stalwart  fellows  in  the 
prime  of  life  who  have  brought  the  training  of  men 
and  mounts  to  a  point  of  excellence  such  enthusiasts 
as  Cranston  only  dreamed  of  in  the  old  campaigning 
days,  when  there  was  little  opportunity  for  experiment 

43* 


510  UNDER  FIRE. 

or  practice  in  any  other  branch  of  the  trooper's  art  than 
that  developed  on  the  trail  of  savage  foe.  Already 
the  men  who  were  stripling  soldiers  in  '76  are  wearing 
patriarchal  —  long  since  they  assumed  patronizing  — 
airs  towards  those  who  came  too  late  to  learn  cam 
paigning  when  the  Indian  was  not  hemmed  in  by  rail 
ways,  but  ruled  the  Plains,  proud  monarch  of  all  he 
surveyed.  Already  silver  threads  are  streaking  the 
beards  and  temples  of  even  such  rollicking  spirits  as 
Sanders,  while  Boynton  is  gray  as  the  chargers  of  the 
troop  he  commands.  Cranston's  squadron  was  cheered 
to  the  skies  when  it  marched  away  from  Chicago  after 
its  month  of  riot  duty,  and  on  the  plains  of  Evanston 
during  the  manoeuvres  the  visitors  thronged  to  see  the 
feats  in  horsemanship  displayed  by  the  men  of  Davies's 
troop.  Even  in  the  Eleventh  he  was  held  to  be  the 
most  brilliant  instructor  as  well  as  the  most  judicious 
and  successful  troop  commander.  Old-time  dragoons 
simply  couldn't  understand  it.  Here  was  a  man  who 
would  neither  drink,  swear,  nor  flare  up  and  boil  over 
when  things  went  wrong  on  drill,  but  preserved  a  calm, 
even-tempered,  dignified  bearing  at  all  times.  True, 
he  had  native  gifts  which  were  not  shared  by  all  his 
kind, — a  deep,  resonant  voice,  a  ringing  word  of  com 
mand,  a  fine  physique,  an  admirable  seat,  and  an  easy, 
practised  hand,  all  of  which  were  combined  with  a 
consummate  knowledge  of  his  art.  He  was  equally 
at  home  in  saddle  or  squad-room,  and  at  all  times  was 
friend  and  almost  father  to  his  men.  "  A"  Troop, 
once  the  worst-drilled  in  the  Eleventh,  and  universally 
known  as  the  "  Differentials,"  is  now  called  "  the  Par 
son's  Flock/'  but  there  is  no  irreverence  in  the  term. 


l\\DER   FIRE.  511 

for  soldiers  honor  men  like  him  whose  faith  is  backed 
by  courage  long  tried  on  many  a  field.  There  isn't  a 
man  in  Cranston's  squadron  who  would  not  resent  an 
affront  to  their  pet  troop  commander,  as  they  would 
were  the  major  himself  the  object  of  aspersion,  and  as 
for  Agatha,  his  wife, — Florence  Nightingale  was  not 
more  beloved. 

They  were  talking  of  it  all  the  other  evening,  seated 
among  the  tents  on  the  broad,  level  prairie  just  before 
the  separation  for  the  winter  stations  was  announced. 
The  old  chaplain  was  there  to  say  farewell  to  his  own 
stalwart  son,  now  wearing  his  first  shoulder-straps  in 
the  regiment  his  father  had  known  so  long  and  well. 
" Sometimes,"  said  the  dominie,  "I  look  back  almost 
wistfully  on  those  old  days  with  all  their  danger  and 
privation,  and  while  the  life  our  fellows  lead  to-day 
knows  little  of  the  temptation  and  trial  encountered 
twenty  years  ago,  it  seems  to  lack  its  vim  and  vigor. 
Sometimes  I  almost  wish  my  boy  could  have  begun — 
with  you." 

Davies  was  silent  a  moment.  "  It  was  a  hard  ex 
perience,"  said  he,  finally.  "  It  seems  odd  to  think 
that  to  some  of  us  there  was  more  peace  on  the  war 
path  than  at  home,  more  rest  in  the  field  than  in  the 
fort.  Perhaps  the  reason  why  one's  sterner  qualities 
were  so  constantly  called  into  play  was  that  not  only 
in  action  but  in  all  the  surroundings  of  our  daily  life 
we  seemed  forever  '  under  fire.'  " 


THE  END. 


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Under  fixe 


M18523 


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